Mahabharata · 1.209.9–10
॥
Devanāgarī
यदा च वो ग्राहभूता गृह्णन्तीः पुरुषाञ् जले ॥
उत्कर्षति जलात् कश् चित् स्थलं पुरुषसत्तमः ॥
तदा यूयं पुनः सर्वाः स्वरूपं प्रतिपत्स्यथ ॥
अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे हसतापि कदा चन ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
yadā ca vo grāhabhūtā gṛhṇantīḥ puruṣāñ jale ||
utkarṣati jalāt kaś cit sthalaṃ puruṣasattamaḥ ||
tadā yūyaṃ punaḥ sarvāḥ svarūpaṃ pratipatsyatha ||
anṛtaṃ noktapūrvaṃ me hasatāpi kadā cana ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यदा च वः ग्राहभूताः गृह्णन्तीः पुरुषान् जलेyadā ca vaḥ grāhabhūtāḥ gṛhṇantīḥ puruṣān jaleand when you, having become crocodiles, seizing people in the water,
उत्कर्षति जलात् कः चित् स्थलं पुरुषसत्तमःutkarṣati jalāt kaḥ cit sthalaṃ puruṣasattamaḥsome best of men draws out of the water onto dry land,
तदा यूयं पुनः सर्वाः स्वरूपं प्रतिपत्स्यथtadā yūyaṃ punaḥ sarvāḥ svarūpaṃ pratipatsyathathen you will all regain your true form again;
अनृतं न उक्तपूर्वं मे हसता अपि कदा चनanṛtaṃ na uktapūrvaṃ me hasatā api kadā canauntruth I have never spoken before, even in jest, never;
वोvooriginal form "vo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ग्राहभूताgrāhabhūtāoriginal form "grāhabhūtā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पुरुषाञ्puruṣāñoriginal form "puruṣāñ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कश्kaśoriginal form "kaś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नोक्तपूर्वंnoktapūrvaṃoriginal form "noktapūrvaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
हसतापिhasatāpioriginal form "hasatāpi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"And when some best of men draws you out of the water onto dry land, you having become crocodiles seizing men in the water, then you will all regain your true form again; I have never before spoken untruth, even in jest."
Version
932cb4dc1208 · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:01:16 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the path to deliverance is laid within the curse itself. It is significant that the brahmin foretells a deliverer: the merciful do not leave the punished without hope. Significant, too, is the word 'I never lied even in jest': the ascetic's truthfulness makes his prediction unfailing. The word of a saint, grounded in truth, comes to pass without exception. Thus the scripture reveals hope within punishment; and the foretold deliverance is bound to come.