Mahabharata 3.136.17-18

Devanāgarī

यवक्रीर् उवाच
एवं करिष्ये मा तापं तात कार्षीः कथं चन ॥
यथा हि मे भवान् मान्यस् तथा रैभ्यः पिता मम ॥
लोमश उवाच
उक्त्वा स पितरं श्लक्ष्णं यवक्रीर् अकुतोभयः ॥
विप्रकुर्वन्न् ऋषीन् अन्यान् अतुष्यत् परया मुदा ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

yavakrīr uvāca
evaṃ kariṣye mā tāpaṃ tāta kārṣīḥ kathaṃ cana ||
yathā hi me bhavān mānyas tathā raibhyaḥ pitā mama ||
lomaśa uvāca
uktvā sa pitaraṃ ślakṣṇaṃ yavakrīr akutobhayaḥ ||
viprakurvann ṛṣīn anyān atuṣyat parayā mudā ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

यवक्रीर् उवाच एवं करिष्ये मा तापं तात कार्षीः कथं चन ॥ यथा हि मे भवान् मान्यस् तथा रैभ्यः पिता मम ॥ लोमश उवाच उक्त्वा स पितरं श्लक्ष्णं यवक्रीर् अकुतोभयः ॥ विप्रकुर्वन्न् ऋषीन् अन्यान् अतुष्यत् परया मुदा ॥yavakrīr uvāca evaṃ kariṣye mā tāpaṃ tāta kārṣīḥ kathaṃ cana || yathā hi me bhavān mānyas tathā raibhyaḥ pitā mama || lomaśa uvāca uktvā sa pitaraṃ ślakṣṇaṃ yavakrīr akutobhayaḥ || viprakurvann ṛṣīn anyān atuṣyat parayā mudā ||Yavakri promises to do so, asks his father not to be troubled, and says that as his father is honored by him, so too is Raibhya his father; Lomasha says that, having spoken pleasing words to his father, the fearless Yavakri went on insulting other rishis and rejoiced with supreme joy.

Translation

Yavakri said: "So I shall do. Father, do not be troubled in any way. As you are honored by me, so too is Raibhya my father." Lomasha said: "Having spoken these gentle words to his father, the fearless Yavakri began insulting the other rishis and rejoiced with the highest joy."

Commentary

Yavakri's words are correct, but his heart is already elsewhere. When a promise is not anchored in humility, it soon diverges from conduct.

Version

7cf2550146d4 · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:06:20 PM UTC

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