Mahabharata · 1.221.1–2
॥
Devanāgarī
वैशंपायन उवाच
ततः प्रज्वलिते शुक्रे शार्ङ्गकास् ते सुदुःखिताः ॥
व्यथिताः परमोद्विग्ना नाधिजग्मुः परायणम् ॥
निशाम्य पुत्रकान् बालान् माता तेषां तपस्विनी ॥
जरिता दुःखसंतप्ता विललाप नरेश्वर ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
tataḥ prajvalite śukre śārṅgakās te suduḥkhitāḥ ||
vyathitāḥ paramodvignā nādhijagmuḥ parāyaṇam ||
niśāmya putrakān bālān mātā teṣāṃ tapasvinī ||
jaritā duḥkhasaṃtaptā vilalāpa nareśvara ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततः प्रज्वलिते शुक्रे शार्ङ्गकाः ते सुदुःखिताःtataḥ prajvalite śukre śārṅgakāḥ te suduḥkhitāḥthen, when the bright [fire] blazed up, those shārngakas, most sorrowful,
व्यथिताः परमोद्विग्नाः न अधिजग्मुः परायणम्vyathitāḥ paramodvignāḥ na adhijagmuḥ parāyaṇamdistressed, in utmost agitation, could not find refuge;
निशाम्य पुत्रकान् बालान् माता तेषां तपस्विनीniśāmya putrakān bālān mātā teṣāṃ tapasvinīseeing her small children, their mother, the ascetic woman,
जरिता दुःखसंतप्ता विललाप नरेश्वरjaritā duḥkhasaṃtaptā vilalāpa nareśvaraJarita, worn out with grief, lamented, O lord of men:
वैशंपायनvaiśaṃpāyanaoriginal form "vaiśaṃpāyana", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
शार्ङ्गकास्śārṅgakāsoriginal form "śārṅgakās", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
परमोद्विग्नाparamodvignāoriginal form "paramodvignā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नाधिजग्मुःnādhijagmuḥoriginal form "nādhijagmuḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
Vaishampayana said: "Then, when the bright fire blazed up, those shārngakas, most sorrowful, distressed, in utmost agitation, could not find refuge; seeing her small children, their mother, the ascetic Jarita, worn out with grief, lamented, O lord of men."
Version
89a4b040ac26 · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:20:36 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the grief of a mother before the death of her children shows itself. It is telling that Jarita's sorrow is for her helpless fledglings: there is no anguish greater than a mother's fear for her child. Here is the sanctity of maternal love, suffering more for its children than for itself. Thus the scripture reveals Jarita's lament; and her love is tested by fire.