Mahabharata · 2.29.15–16
॥
Devanāgarī
ततः सागरकुक्षिस्थान् म्लेच्छान् परमदारुणान् ॥
पह्लवान् बर्बरांश् चैव तान् सर्वान् अनयद् वशम् ॥
ततो रत्नान्य् उपादाय वशे कृत्वा च पार्थिवान् ॥
न्यवर्तत नरश्रेष्ठो नकुलश् चित्रमार्गवित् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tataḥ sāgarakukṣisthān mlecchān paramadāruṇān ||
pahlavān barbarāṃś caiva tān sarvān anayad vaśam ||
tato ratnāny upādāya vaśe kṛtvā ca pārthivān ||
nyavartata naraśreṣṭho nakulaś citramārgavit ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततः सागर-कुक्षि-स्थान्tataḥ sāgara-kukṣi-sthānthen dwelling in the bosom of the ocean
म्लेच्छान् परम-दारुणान्mlecchān parama-dāruṇānthe most fearsome mlecchas,
पह्लवान् बर्बरांश् चैवpahlavān barbarāṃś caivathe Pahlavas and Barbaras —
तान् सर्वान् अनयद् वशम्tān sarvān anayad vaśamall of them he brought to submission;
ततो रत्नान्य् उपादायtato ratnāny upādāyathen, taking jewels,
वशे कृत्वा च पार्थिवान्vaśe kṛtvā ca pārthivānand having subdued kings,
न्यवर्तत नर-श्रेष्ठोnyavartata nara-śreṣṭhothe best of men turned back,
नकुलश् चित्र-मार्ग-वित्nakulaś citra-mārga-vitNakula, knower of wondrous paths.
सागरकुक्षिस्थान्sāgarakukṣisthānoriginal form "sāgarakukṣisthān", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
परमदारुणान्paramadāruṇānoriginal form "paramadāruṇān", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नरश्रेष्ठोnaraśreṣṭhooriginal form "naraśreṣṭho", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चित्रमार्गवित्citramārgavitoriginal form "citramārgavit", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
Then he brought to submission all the most fearsome mlecchas dwelling in the bosom of the ocean — the Pahlavas and Barbaras. Then, taking jewels and having subdued kings, the best of men, Nakula, knower of wondrous paths, turned back.
Version
283175db68a1 · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:28:51 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Even the "most fearsome" seaside mlecchas are brought to submission — not even the wildest regions remain outside the order. It is telling how Nakula is named: "knower of wondrous paths" (citramārgavit) — one who knows even unknown roads. The verse teaches that one who establishes order must know the paths to everyone, even to the most distant and alien: dharma reaches each not by chance, but by knowledge. And just as Nakula knew the earthly paths, so the wise know the paths to hearts — for one can bring to harmony only him to whom one knows how to find the way.