Mahabharata · 1.219.39–40
॥
Devanāgarī
तं पार्थेनाभये दत्ते नमुचेर् भ्रातरं मयम् ॥
न हन्तुम् ऐच्छद् दाशार्हः पावको न ददाह च ॥
तस्मिन् वने दह्यमाने षड् अग्निर् न ददाह च ॥
अश्वसेनं मयं चापि चतुरः शार्ङ्गकान् इति ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taṃ pārthenābhaye datte namucer bhrātaraṃ mayam ||
na hantum aicchad dāśārhaḥ pāvako na dadāha ca ||
tasmin vane dahyamāne ṣaḍ agnir na dadāha ca ||
aśvasenaṃ mayaṃ cāpi caturaḥ śārṅgakān iti ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तं पार्थेन अभये दत्ते नमुचेः भ्रातरं मयम्taṃ pārthena abhaye datte namuceḥ bhrātaraṃ mayamwhen safety was granted by Partha to Maya, brother of Namuchi,
न हन्तुम् ऐच्छत् दाशार्हः पावकः न ददाह चna hantum aicchat dāśārhaḥ pāvakaḥ na dadāha caDasharha did not wish to kill him, and Pavaka did not burn him;
तस्मिन् वने दह्यमाने षट् अग्निः न ददाह चtasmin vane dahyamāne ṣaṭ agniḥ na dadāha cain that burning forest the fire did not burn six:
अश्वसेनं मयं च अपि चतुरः शार्ङ्गकान् इतिaśvasenaṃ mayaṃ ca api caturaḥ śārṅgakān itiAshvasena, and Maya, and the four sharngakas;
पार्थेनाभयेpārthenābhayeoriginal form "pārthenābhaye", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नमुचेर्namuceroriginal form "namucer", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऐच्छद्aicchadoriginal form "aicchad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पावकोpāvakooriginal form "pāvako", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
षड्ṣaḍoriginal form "ṣaḍ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अग्निर्agniroriginal form "agnir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चापिcāpioriginal form "cāpi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
When safety was granted by Partha to Maya, brother of Namuchi, Dasharha did not wish to kill him, and Pavaka did not burn him; in that burning forest the fire did not burn six: Ashvasena, and Maya, and the four sharngakas.
Version
add4e4cfbc37 · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:11:48 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the refuge that has been granted is sacred and inviolable. It is significant that, the moment Arjuna promised safety, neither does Krishna strike nor does Agni burn: the protector's word binds both the Lord and the fire. In this is the sanctity of abhaya: whoever is granted refuge cannot be touched. Thus scripture reveals Maya's rescue; and the six who survived are a sign that mercy finds its own even amid universal destruction; the tale of the four sharngakas will follow further.