Mahabharata 3.245.1-11

Devanāgarī

वैशंपायन उवाच
वने निवसतां तेषां पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् ॥
वर्षाण्य् एकादशातीयुः कृच्छ्रेण भरतर्षभ ॥
फलमूलाशनास् ते हि सुखार्हा दुःखम् उत्तमम् ॥
प्राप्तकालम् अनुध्यान्तः सेहुर् उत्तमपूरुषाः ॥
युधिष्ठिरस् तु राजर्षिर् आत्मकर्मापराधजम् ॥
चिन्तयन् स महाबाहुर् भ्रातॄणां दुःखम् उत्तमम् ॥
न सुष्वाप सुखं राजा हृदि शल्यैर् इवार्पितैः ॥
दौरात्म्यम् अनुपश्यंस् तत् काले द्यूतोद्भवस्य हि ॥
संस्मरन् परुषा वाचः सूतपुत्रस्य पाण्डवः ॥
निःश्वासपरमो दीनो बिभ्रत् कोपविषं महत् ॥
अर्जुनो यमजौ चोभौ द्रौपदी च यशस्विनी ॥
स च भीमो महातेजाः सर्वेषाम् उत्तमो बली ॥
युधिष्ठिरम् उदीक्षन्तः सेहुर् दुःखम् अनुत्तमम् ॥
अवशिष्टम् अल्पकालं मन्वानाः पुरुषर्षभाः ॥
वपुर् अन्यद् इवाकार्षुर् उत्साहामर्षचेष्टितैः ॥
कस्य चित् त्व् अथ कालस्य व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः ॥
आजगाम महायोगी पाण्डवान् अवलोककः ॥
तम् आगतम् अभिप्रेक्ष्य कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः ॥
प्रत्युद्गम्य महात्मानं प्रत्यगृह्णाद् यथाविधि ॥
तम् आसीनम् उपासीनः शुश्रूषुर् नियतेन्द्रियः ॥
तोषयन् प्रणिपातेन व्यासं पाण्डवनन्दनः ॥
तान् अवेक्ष्य कृशान् पौत्रान् वने वन्येन जीवतः ॥
महर्षिर् अनुकम्पार्थम् अब्रवीद् बाष्पगद्गदम् ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
vane nivasatāṃ teṣāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām ||
varṣāṇy ekādaśātīyuḥ kṛcchreṇa bharatarṣabha ||
phalamūlāśanās te hi sukhārhā duḥkham uttamam ||
prāptakālam anudhyāntaḥ sehur uttamapūruṣāḥ ||
yudhiṣṭhiras tu rājarṣir ātmakarmāparādhajam ||
cintayan sa mahābāhur bhrātṝṇāṃ duḥkham uttamam ||
na suṣvāpa sukhaṃ rājā hṛdi śalyair ivārpitaiḥ ||
daurātmyam anupaśyaṃs tat kāle dyūtodbhavasya hi ||
saṃsmaran paruṣā vācaḥ sūtaputrasya pāṇḍavaḥ ||
niḥśvāsaparamo dīno bibhrat kopaviṣaṃ mahat ||
arjuno yamajau cobhau draupadī ca yaśasvinī ||
sa ca bhīmo mahātejāḥ sarveṣām uttamo balī ||
yudhiṣṭhiram udīkṣantaḥ sehur duḥkham anuttamam ||
avaśiṣṭam alpakālaṃ manvānāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ ||
vapur anyad ivākārṣur utsāhāmarṣaceṣṭitaiḥ ||
kasya cit tv atha kālasya vyāsaḥ satyavatīsutaḥ ||
ājagāma mahāyogī pāṇḍavān avalokakaḥ ||
tam āgatam abhiprekṣya kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
pratyudgamya mahātmānaṃ pratyagṛhṇād yathāvidhi ||
tam āsīnam upāsīnaḥ śuśrūṣur niyatendriyaḥ ||
toṣayan praṇipātena vyāsaṃ pāṇḍavanandanaḥ ||
tān avekṣya kṛśān pautrān vane vanyena jīvataḥ ||
maharṣir anukampārtham abravīd bāṣpagadgadam ||

Word-by-word

SanskritIASTMeaning

वैशंपायन उवाच वने निवसतां तेषां पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् ॥ वर्षाण्य् एकादशातीयुः कृच्छ्रेण भरतर्षभ ॥ फलमूलाशनास् ते हि सुखार्हा दुःखम् उत्तमम् ॥ प्राप्तकालम् अनुध्यान्तः सेहुर् उत्तमपूरुषाः ॥ युधिष्ठिरस् तु राजर्षिर् आत्मकर्मापराधजम् ॥ चिन्तयन् स महाबाहुर् भ्रातॄणां दुःखम् उत्तमम् ॥ न सुष्वाप सुखं राजा हृदि शल्यैर् इवार्पितैः ॥ दौरात्म्यम् अनुपश्यंस् तत् काले द्यूतोद्भवस्य हि ॥ संस्मरन् परुषा वाचः सूतपुत्रस्य पाण्डवः ॥ निःश्वासपरमो दीनो बिभ्रत् कोपविषं महत् ॥ अर्जुनो यमजौ चोभौ द्रौपदी च यशस्विनी ॥ स च भीमो महातेजाः सर्वेषाम् उत्तमो बली ॥ युधिष्ठिरम् उदीक्षन्तः सेहुर् दुःखम् अनुत्तमम् ॥ अवशिष्टम् अल्पकालं मन्वानाः पुरुषर्षभाः ॥ वपुर् अन्यद् इवाकार्षुर् उत्साहामर्षचेष्टितैः ॥ कस्य चित् त्व् अथ कालस्य व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः ॥ आजगाम महायोगी पाण्डवान् अवलोककः ॥ तम् आगतम् अभिप्रेक्ष्य कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः ॥ प्रत्युद्गम्य महात्मानं प्रत्यगृह्णाद् यथाविधि ॥ तम् आसीनम् उपासीनः शुश्रूषुर् नियतेन्द्रियः ॥ तोषयन् प्रणिपातेन व्यासं पाण्डवनन्दनः ॥ तान् अवेक्ष्य कृशान् पौत्रान् वने वन्येन जीवतः ॥ महर्षिर् अनुकम्पार्थम् अब्रवीद् बाष्पगद्गदम् ॥vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca vane nivasatāṃ teṣāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahātmanām || varṣāṇy ekādaśātīyuḥ kṛcchreṇa bharatarṣabha || phalamūlāśanās te hi sukhārhā duḥkham uttamam || prāptakālam anudhyāntaḥ sehur uttamapūruṣāḥ || yudhiṣṭhiras tu rājarṣir ātmakarmāparādhajam || cintayan sa mahābāhur bhrātṝṇāṃ duḥkham uttamam || na suṣvāpa sukhaṃ rājā hṛdi śalyair ivārpitaiḥ || daurātmyam anupaśyaṃs tat kāle dyūtodbhavasya hi || saṃsmaran paruṣā vācaḥ sūtaputrasya pāṇḍavaḥ || niḥśvāsaparamo dīno bibhrat kopaviṣaṃ mahat || arjuno yamajau cobhau draupadī ca yaśasvinī || sa ca bhīmo mahātejāḥ sarveṣām uttamo balī || yudhiṣṭhiram udīkṣantaḥ sehur duḥkham anuttamam || avaśiṣṭam alpakālaṃ manvānāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ || vapur anyad ivākārṣur utsāhāmarṣaceṣṭitaiḥ || kasya cit tv atha kālasya vyāsaḥ satyavatīsutaḥ || ājagāma mahāyogī pāṇḍavān avalokakaḥ || tam āgatam abhiprekṣya kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ || pratyudgamya mahātmānaṃ pratyagṛhṇād yathāvidhi || tam āsīnam upāsīnaḥ śuśrūṣur niyatendriyaḥ || toṣayan praṇipātena vyāsaṃ pāṇḍavanandanaḥ || tān avekṣya kṛśān pautrān vane vanyena jīvataḥ || maharṣir anukampārtham abravīd bāṣpagadgadam ||While the great Pandavas dwelt in the forest, eleven years passed; those best of men, worthy of happiness, lived on fruits and roots, enduring the highest suffering as they awaited the appointed time; Yudhishthira, reflecting on the suffering of his brothers born of his own act, did not sleep in peace, as though thorns were driven into his heart, seeing the evil fruit of the game of dice, remembering the harsh words of the charioteer's son, sighing deeply and bearing the great poison of wrath; Arjuna, the twins, glorious Draupadi, and mighty Bhima endured unsurpassed suffering as they looked upon Yudhishthira; deeming the remaining time short, they took on, as it were, a new form through resolve, indignation, and effort; after some time the great yogin Vyasa came to see the Pandavas; Yudhishthira, seeing him arrive, sitting beside him serves him with restrained senses and pleases Vyasa with a bow; seeing his grandsons grown thin, living on forest fare in the forest, the great sage, moved by compassion, spoke to them, his voice choked with tears.

Translation

Vaishampayana said: "While the great Pandavas dwelt in the forest, O bull of the Bharatas, eleven years passed with difficulty. Worthy of happiness, they lived on fruits and roots and, reflecting on the coming of the appointed time, endured the highest suffering, these best of men. The royal sage Yudhishthira, mighty-armed, brooded over the grievous suffering of his brothers, born of his own act. The king did not sleep in peace, as though thorns were driven into his heart, seeing the evil consequence of the time of the dice game. Remembering the harsh words of the charioteer's son, the Pandava sighed deeply, was humbled, and bore the great poison of wrath. Arjuna, both twins, glorious Draupadi, and mighty Bhima, the foremost in strength among them all, looking upon Yudhishthira, endured unsurpassed suffering. Deeming the remaining time short, these bulls among men took on, as it were, another form through effort, ardor, and indignation. After some time the great yogin Vyasa, son of Satyavati, came to the Pandavas to see them. Seeing his arrival, Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, went forth to meet the great soul and received him according to due rite. When Vyasa was seated, the son of Pandu, wishing to serve him, sat beside him with restrained senses and pleased him with a bow of homage. Seeing his grandsons grown thin, living in the forest on forest fare, the great sage, moved by compassion, spoke to them in a voice broken with tears."

Commentary

Vyasa comes not only as a sage but as a compassionate elder. His teaching arises from the visible suffering of the Pandavas.

Version

f7e10ed6ec43 · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:28:43 PM UTC

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