Mahabharata 3.127.12-18

Devanāgarī

सोमक उवाच
धिग् अस्त्व् इहैकपुत्रत्वम् अपुत्रत्वं वरं भवेत् ॥
नित्यातुरत्वाद् भूतानां शोक एवैकपुत्रता ॥
इदं भार्याशतं ब्रह्मन् परीक्ष्योपचितं प्रभो ॥
पुत्रार्थिना मया वोढं न चासां विद्यते प्रजा ॥
एकः कथं चिद् उत्पन्नः पुत्रो जन्तुर् अयं मम ॥
यतमानस्य सर्वासु किं नु दुःखम् अतः परम् ॥
वयश् च समतीतं मे सभार्यस्य द्विजोत्तम ॥
आसां प्राणाः समायत्ता मम चात्रैकपुत्रके ॥
स्यान् नु कर्म तथा युक्तं येन पुत्रशतं भवेत् ॥
महता लघुना वापि कर्मणा दुष्करेण वा ॥
ऋत्विग् उवाच
अस्ति वै तादृशं कर्म येन पुत्रशतं भवेत् ॥
यदि शक्नोषि तत् कर्तुम् अथ वक्ष्यामि सोमक ॥
सोमक उवाच
कार्यं वा यदि वाकार्यं येन पुत्रशतं भवेत् ॥
कृतम् एव हि तद् विद्धि भगवान् प्रब्रवीतु मे ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

somaka uvāca
dhig astv ihaikaputratvam aputratvaṃ varaṃ bhavet ||
nityāturatvād bhūtānāṃ śoka evaikaputratā ||
idaṃ bhāryāśataṃ brahman parīkṣyopacitaṃ prabho ||
putrārthinā mayā voḍhaṃ na cāsāṃ vidyate prajā ||
ekaḥ kathaṃ cid utpannaḥ putro jantur ayaṃ mama ||
yatamānasya sarvāsu kiṃ nu duḥkham ataḥ param ||
vayaś ca samatītaṃ me sabhāryasya dvijottama ||
āsāṃ prāṇāḥ samāyattā mama cātraikaputrake ||
syān nu karma tathā yuktaṃ yena putraśataṃ bhavet ||
mahatā laghunā vāpi karmaṇā duṣkareṇa vā ||
ṛtvig uvāca
asti vai tādṛśaṃ karma yena putraśataṃ bhavet ||
yadi śaknoṣi tat kartum atha vakṣyāmi somaka ||
somaka uvāca
kāryaṃ vā yadi vākāryaṃ yena putraśataṃ bhavet ||
kṛtam eva hi tad viddhi bhagavān prabravītu me ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

सोमक उवाच धिग् अस्त्व् इहैकपुत्रत्वम् अपुत्रत्वं वरं भवेत् ॥ नित्यातुरत्वाद् भूतानां शोक एवैकपुत्रता ॥ इदं भार्याशतं ब्रह्मन् परीक्ष्योपचितं प्रभो ॥ पुत्रार्थिना मया वोढं न चासां विद्यते प्रजा ॥ एकः कथं चिद् उत्पन्नः पुत्रो जन्तुर् अयं मम ॥ यतमानस्य सर्वासु किं नु दुःखम् अतः परम् ॥ वयश् च समतीतं मे सभार्यस्य द्विजोत्तम ॥ आसां प्राणाः समायत्ता मम चात्रैकपुत्रके ॥ स्यान् नु कर्म तथा युक्तं येन पुत्रशतं भवेत् ॥ महता लघुना वापि कर्मणा दुष्करेण वा ॥ ऋत्विग् उवाच अस्ति वै तादृशं कर्म येन पुत्रशतं भवेत् ॥ यदि शक्नोषि तत् कर्तुम् अथ वक्ष्यामि सोमक ॥ सोमक उवाच कार्यं वा यदि वाकार्यं येन पुत्रशतं भवेत् ॥ कृतम् एव हि तद् विद्धि भगवान् प्रब्रवीतु मे ॥somaka uvāca dhig astv ihaikaputratvam aputratvaṃ varaṃ bhavet || nityāturatvād bhūtānāṃ śoka evaikaputratā || idaṃ bhāryāśataṃ brahman parīkṣyopacitaṃ prabho || putrārthinā mayā voḍhaṃ na cāsāṃ vidyate prajā || ekaḥ kathaṃ cid utpannaḥ putro jantur ayaṃ mama || yatamānasya sarvāsu kiṃ nu duḥkham ataḥ param || vayaś ca samatītaṃ me sabhāryasya dvijottama || āsāṃ prāṇāḥ samāyattā mama cātraikaputrake || syān nu karma tathā yuktaṃ yena putraśataṃ bhavet || mahatā laghunā vāpi karmaṇā duṣkareṇa vā || ṛtvig uvāca asti vai tādṛśaṃ karma yena putraśataṃ bhavet || yadi śaknoṣi tat kartum atha vakṣyāmi somaka || somaka uvāca kāryaṃ vā yadi vākāryaṃ yena putraśataṃ bhavet || kṛtam eva hi tad viddhi bhagavān prabravītu me ||Somaka says shame on a single son here; childlessness would be better, for since beings are ever subject to suffering, an only son is nothing but grief; this hundred of wives, brahmin, he examined, chose, and took for the sake of sons, but they have no offspring; one son, this Jantu of his, was somehow born to him who had striven with all of them; what could be more painful than this; and his own age has passed, best of the twice-born, along with the age of his wives; the lives of his wives and his own life depend on this one son; he asks whether there is some act, great or small, difficult or not, by which a hundred sons might be obtained; the priest says there is such an act, by which a hundred sons would come to be, if Somaka is able to perform it; Somaka answers that whether it be right or wrong, if from it a hundred sons will come, know that it is already done — let the blessed one speak.

Translation

Somaka said: "Shame on having only a single son here; childlessness would be better. Since living beings are ever subject to suffering, an only son is nothing but sheer grief. This hundred of wives, brahmin, I examined, chose, and took for the sake of sons, but they have no offspring. One son, this Jantu of mine, was somehow born to me, who had striven with all of them; what could be more painful than this? And my own age has passed, best of the twice-born, together with the age of my wives. Their lives and my own life depend on this single son. Is there some act, arranged in such a way that a hundred sons might be born — great or small, difficult or not?" The priest said: "There is such an act, by which a hundred sons would come to be. If you are able to perform it, then I will tell you, Somaka." Somaka said: "Whether it be right or wrong — if from it a hundred sons will come, know that it is already done. Let the blessed one tell me."

Commentary

Somaka utters a dangerous phrase: "right or wrong." When the longing for offspring rises above discernment, a person has already prepared to cross the line.

Version

8ecbe73206bd · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:06:19 PM UTC

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