Mahabharata · 1.219.12–13
॥
Devanāgarī
निवृत्तेषु तु देवेषु वाग् उवाचाशरीरिणी ॥
शतक्रतुम् अभिप्रेक्ष्य महागम्भीरनिःस्वना ॥
न ते सखा संनिहितस् तक्षकः पन्नगोत्तमः ॥
दाहकाले खाण्डवस्य कुरुक्षेत्रं गतो ह्य् असौ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nivṛtteṣu tu deveṣu vāg uvācāśarīriṇī ||
śatakratum abhiprekṣya mahāgambhīraniḥsvanā ||
na te sakhā saṃnihitas takṣakaḥ pannagottamaḥ ||
dāhakāle khāṇḍavasya kurukṣetraṃ gato hy asau ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
निवृत्तेषु तु देवेषु वाक् उवाच अशरीरिणीnivṛtteṣu tu deveṣu vāk uvāca aśarīriṇīwhen the gods had turned back, a bodiless voice spoke,
शतक्रतुम् अभिप्रेक्ष्य महागम्भीरनिःस्वनाśatakratum abhiprekṣya mahāgambhīraniḥsvanāaddressing Shatakratu, deep-toned:
न ते सखा संनिहितः तक्षकः पन्नगोत्तमःna te sakhā saṃnihitaḥ takṣakaḥ pannagottamaḥ"your friend is not present here, Takshaka, best of nagas;
दाहकाले खाण्डवस्य कुरुक्षेत्रं गतः हि असौdāhakāle khāṇḍavasya kurukṣetraṃ gataḥ hi asauat the time of the burning of Khandava he had gone to Kurukshetra;
वाग्vāgoriginal form "vāg", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
उवाचाशरीरिणीuvācāśarīriṇīoriginal form "uvācāśarīriṇī", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
संनिहितस्saṃnihitasoriginal form "saṃnihitas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
गतोgatooriginal form "gato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ह्य्hyoriginal form "hy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
The bodiless voice said: "When the gods had turned back, a bodiless voice spoke, addressing Shatakratu, deep-toned: 'Your friend is not present here, Takshaka, best of nagas; at the time of the burning of Khandava he had gone to Kurukshetra.'"
Version
2287b36be8bb · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:11:48 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here from above a truth is spoken that settles the dispute. It is telling that the bodiless voice reveals to Indra that there is nothing left to fight for — his friend is not in the forest. Thus Providence, in its own time, offers a word that ends a futile quarrel. So does scripture show heavenly intervention; and the voice will go on to reveal who these two truly are.