Mahabharata · 1.209.12–13
॥
Devanāgarī
वर्गोवाच
ततो ऽभिवाद्य तं विप्रं कृत्वा चैव प्रदक्षिणम् ॥
अचिन्तयामोपसृत्य तस्माद् देशात् सुदुःखिताः ॥
क्व नु नाम वयं सर्वाः कालेनाल्पेन तं नरम् ॥
समागच्छेम यो नस् तद् रूपम् आपादयेत् पुनः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
vargovāca
tato 'bhivādya taṃ vipraṃ kṛtvā caiva pradakṣiṇam ||
acintayāmopasṛtya tasmād deśāt suduḥkhitāḥ ||
kva nu nāma vayaṃ sarvāḥ kālenālpena taṃ naram ||
samāgacchema yo nas tad rūpam āpādayet punaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततः अभिवाद्य तं विप्रं कृत्वा च एव प्रदक्षिणम्tataḥ abhivādya taṃ vipraṃ kṛtvā ca eva pradakṣiṇamthen, having bowed to that brahmin and made circumambulation,
अचिन्तयाम उपसृत्य तस्मात् देशात् सुदुःखिताःacintayāma upasṛtya tasmāt deśāt suduḥkhitāḥwithdrawing from that place, we pondered, deeply grieved:
क्व नु नाम वयं सर्वाः कालेन अल्पेन तं नरम्kva nu nāma vayaṃ sarvāḥ kālena alpena taṃ naram"where, indeed, shall all of us, in a short time, that man
समागच्छेम यः नः तत् रूपम् आपादयेत् पुनःsamāgacchema yaḥ naḥ tat rūpam āpādayet punaḥmeet, who would restore to us that [former] form again?"
वर्गोवाचvargovācaoriginal form "vargovāca", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ततोtatooriginal form "tato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽभिवाद्य'bhivādyaoriginal form "'bhivādya", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चैवcaivaoriginal form "caiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अचिन्तयामोपसृत्यacintayāmopasṛtyaoriginal form "acintayāmopasṛtya", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तस्माद्tasmādoriginal form "tasmād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कालेनाल्पेनkālenālpenaoriginal form "kālenālpena", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
योyooriginal form "yo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नस्nasoriginal form "nas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तद्tadoriginal form "tad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Then, having bowed to that brahmin and circumambulated him, we withdrew from that place and pondered, deeply grieved: 'Where, in so short a time, shall all of us meet that man who would restore to us our former form again?'"
Version
40074cb7dc3f · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:01:16 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here even those already forgiven languish in waiting for their deliverer. It is significant that the apsarases, having received hope, still grieve, not knowing the hour: promised salvation tests patience through waiting. And hope demands both trust and endurance. Thus the scripture reveals their anxious longing; and in the very hour of need a guide will appear.