Mahabharata 3.140.15-17

Devanāgarī

युधिष्ठिर उवाच
अपूर्वो ऽयं संभ्रमो लोमशस्य; कृष्णां सर्वे रक्षत मा प्रमादम् ॥
देशो ह्य् अयं दुर्गतमो मतो ऽस्य; तस्मात् परं शौचम् इहाचरध्वम् ॥
वैशंपायन उवाच
ततो ऽब्रवीद् भीमम् उदारवीर्यं; कृष्णां यत्तः पालय भीमसेन ॥
शून्ये ऽर्जुने ऽसंनिहिते च तात; त्वम् एव कृष्णां भजसे ऽसुखेषु ॥
ततो महात्मा यमजौ समेत्य; मूर्धन्य् उपाघ्राय विमृज्य गात्रे ॥
उवाच तौ बाष्पकलं स राजा; मा भैष्टम् आगच्छतम् अप्रमत्तौ ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
apūrvo 'yaṃ saṃbhramo lomaśasya; kṛṣṇāṃ sarve rakṣata mā pramādam ||
deśo hy ayaṃ durgatamo mato 'sya; tasmāt paraṃ śaucam ihācaradhvam ||
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
tato 'bravīd bhīmam udāravīryaṃ; kṛṣṇāṃ yattaḥ pālaya bhīmasena ||
śūnye 'rjune 'saṃnihite ca tāta; tvam eva kṛṣṇāṃ bhajase 'sukheṣu ||
tato mahātmā yamajau sametya; mūrdhany upāghrāya vimṛjya gātre ||
uvāca tau bāṣpakalaṃ sa rājā; mā bhaiṣṭam āgacchatam apramattau ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

युधिष्ठिर उवाच अपूर्वो ऽयं संभ्रमो लोमशस्य; कृष्णां सर्वे रक्षत मा प्रमादम् ॥ देशो ह्य् अयं दुर्गतमो मतो ऽस्य; तस्मात् परं शौचम् इहाचरध्वम् ॥ वैशंपायन उवाच ततो ऽब्रवीद् भीमम् उदारवीर्यं; कृष्णां यत्तः पालय भीमसेन ॥ शून्ये ऽर्जुने ऽसंनिहिते च तात; त्वम् एव कृष्णां भजसे ऽसुखेषु ॥ ततो महात्मा यमजौ समेत्य; मूर्धन्य् उपाघ्राय विमृज्य गात्रे ॥ उवाच तौ बाष्पकलं स राजा; मा भैष्टम् आगच्छतम् अप्रमत्तौ ॥yudhiṣṭhira uvāca apūrvo 'yaṃ saṃbhramo lomaśasya; kṛṣṇāṃ sarve rakṣata mā pramādam || deśo hy ayaṃ durgatamo mato 'sya; tasmāt paraṃ śaucam ihācaradhvam || vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca tato 'bravīd bhīmam udāravīryaṃ; kṛṣṇāṃ yattaḥ pālaya bhīmasena || śūnye 'rjune 'saṃnihite ca tāta; tvam eva kṛṣṇāṃ bhajase 'sukheṣu || tato mahātmā yamajau sametya; mūrdhany upāghrāya vimṛjya gātre || uvāca tau bāṣpakalaṃ sa rājā; mā bhaiṣṭam āgacchatam apramattau ||Yudhishthira says that this agitation of Lomasha is unprecedented, and he tells everyone to guard Krishna without carelessness, for this place is considered utterly impassable; therefore let them observe the highest purity here; then he said to noble-souled Bhima: guard Krishna attentively, Bhimasena, for when Arjuna is absent and not at hand, it is you alone who serve Krishna in adversity; then the great-souled king approached the twins, smelled their heads, stroked their bodies, and, with a voice choked with tears, told them not to fear and to proceed attentively.

Translation

Yudhishthira said: "This agitation of Lomasha is unprecedented. All of you guard Krishna; allow no carelessness. This place, as he judges it, is utterly impassable. Therefore observe the highest purity here." Vaishampayana said: "Then he said to Bhima, mighty in valor: 'Guard Krishna attentively, Bhimasena. When Arjuna is absent and not at hand, child, it is you alone who serve Krishna in adversity.' Then the great-souled king approached the two sons of Madri, smelled their heads, stroked their bodies, and, with a voice choked with tears, said to them: 'Do not fear. Proceed attentively.'"

Commentary

Yudhishthira answers danger not with bravado but with care for Draupadi and his younger brothers. In this way royal dharma remains protective even on a journey through superhuman lands.

Version

36407b8e6a6b · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:06:20 PM UTC

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