Mahabharata · 2.13.67–68
॥
Devanāgarī
समारम्भो हि शक्यो ऽयं नान्यथा कुरुनन्दन ॥
राजसूयस्य कार्त्स्न्येन कर्तुं मतिमतां वर ॥
इत्य् एषा मे मती राजन् यथा वा मन्यसे ऽनघ ॥
एवं गते ममाचक्ष्व स्वयं निश्चित्य हेतुभिः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
samārambho hi śakyo 'yaṃ nānyathā kurunandana ||
rājasūyasya kārtsnyena kartuṃ matimatāṃ vara ||
ity eṣā me matī rājan yathā vā manyase 'nagha ||
evaṃ gate mamācakṣva svayaṃ niścitya hetubhiḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
समारम्भः हि शक्यः अयम्samārambhaḥ hi śakyaḥ ayamfor this undertaking is possible,
न अन्यथा कुरु-नन्दनna anyathā kuru-nandananot otherwise, O joy of the Kurus,
राजसूयस्य कार्त्स्न्येनrājasūyasya kārtsnyenathe Rajasuya in its entirety
कर्तुम् मतिमताम् वरkartum matimatām varato accomplish, O best of the wise;
इति एषा मे मतिः राजन्iti eṣā me matiḥ rājansuch, O king, is my opinion,
यथा वा मन्यसे अनघyathā vā manyase anaghaor as you yourself judge, O blameless one;
एवम् गते मम आचक्ष्वevam gate mama ācakṣvathis being so, tell me,
स्वयम् निश्चित्य हेतुभिःsvayam niścitya hetubhiḥhaving yourself decided, [weighing] the reasons."
समारम्भोsamārambhooriginal form "samārambho", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
शक्योśakyooriginal form "śakyo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽयं'yaṃoriginal form "'yaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नान्यथाnānyathāoriginal form "nānyathā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कुरुनन्दनkurunandanaoriginal form "kurunandana", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कर्तुंkartuṃoriginal form "kartuṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मतिमतांmatimatāṃoriginal form "matimatāṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
इत्य्ityoriginal form "ity", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मतीmatīoriginal form "matī", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽनघ'naghaoriginal form "'nagha", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एवंevaṃoriginal form "evaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ममाचक्ष्वmamācakṣvaoriginal form "mamācakṣva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
स्वयंsvayaṃoriginal form "svayaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"For only thus, not otherwise, O joy of the Kurus, is it possible to accomplish the Rajasuya in its entirety, O best of the wise. Such, O king, is my opinion -- or decide as you yourself judge, O blameless one; this being so, tell me, having yourself decided, having weighed the reasons."
Version
b99684531ba5 · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:13:23 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the Lord, having given counsel, leaves the decision to the king: "decide for yourself, having weighed the reasons." It is significant that even the Supreme does not compel, but honors the freedom of the wise -- God instructs, but does not strip a person of choice. Scripture thus shows that divine guidance does not abolish free will; and the counsel continues further in the conversation.