Mahabharata · 1.224.22–23
॥
Devanāgarī
मन्दपाल उवाच
ज्येष्ठः सुतस् ते कतमः कतमस् तदनन्तरः ॥
मध्यमः कतमः पुत्रः कनिष्ठः कतमश् च ते ॥
एवं ब्रुवन्तं दुःखार्तं किं मां न प्रतिभाषसे ॥
कृतवान् अस्मि हव्याशे नैव शान्तिम् इतो लभे ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
mandapāla uvāca
jyeṣṭhaḥ sutas te katamaḥ katamas tadanantaraḥ ||
madhyamaḥ katamaḥ putraḥ kaniṣṭhaḥ katamaś ca te ||
evaṃ bruvantaṃ duḥkhārtaṃ kiṃ māṃ na pratibhāṣase ||
kṛtavān asmi havyāśe naiva śāntim ito labhe ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ज्येष्ठः सुतः ते कतमः कतमः तत्-अनन्तरःjyeṣṭhaḥ sutaḥ te katamaḥ katamaḥ tat-anantaraḥ“Which is your eldest son, which is born just after him,
मध्यमः कतमः पुत्रः कनिष्ठः कतमः च तेmadhyamaḥ katamaḥ putraḥ kaniṣṭhaḥ katamaḥ ca tewhich is your middle son, which is your youngest?
एवं ब्रुवन्तं दुःखार्तं किं मां न प्रतिभाषसेevaṃ bruvantaṃ duḥkhārtaṃ kiṃ māṃ na pratibhāṣaseWhy do you not answer me, thus speaking, afflicted as I am?
कृतवान् अस्मि हव्याशे न एव शान्तिम् इतः लभेkṛtavān asmi havyāśe na eva śāntim itaḥ labheI have done all with the eater of offerings, yet I find no peace from it.”
मन्दपालmandapālaoriginal form "mandapāla", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सुतस्sutasoriginal form "sutas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कतमस्katamasoriginal form "katamas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तदनन्तरःtadanantaraḥoriginal form "tadanantaraḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कतमश्katamaśoriginal form "katamaś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नैवnaivaoriginal form "naiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
इतोitooriginal form "ito", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
Mandapala said: “Which is your eldest son, which is born just after him, which is your middle son, which is your youngest? Why do you not answer me, thus speaking, afflicted as I am? I have done all with the eater of offerings, yet I find no peace from it.”
Version
6ec9b2b741be · published Jul 12, 2026, 6:20:36 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here a father recalls his unseen labor on behalf of his sons. It is telling that Mandapala seeks peace by revealing that he had entreated Agni for their sake: he saved them from afar, yet found no peace of heart. Thus it is shown that even a hidden benefaction longs to be recognized by those we love. So the scripture reveals a father's plea for recognition; and Jarita will answer with reproach.