Mahabharata
Yāna-saṃdhi (070) (Conversations about Peace and War, Chapters 46-70)5.70.16-20
4480 / 15823
Mahabharata · 5.70.16-20
Devanāgarī

पञ्च नस् तात दीयन्तां ग्रामा वा नगराणि वा ॥
वसेम सहिता येषु मा च नो भरता नशन् ॥
न च तान् अपि दुष्टात्मा धार्तराष्ट्रो ऽनुमन्यते ॥
स्वाम्यम् आत्मनि मत्वासाव् अतो दुःखतरं नु किम् ॥
कुले जातस्य वृद्धस्य परवित्तेषु गृध्यतः ॥
लोभः प्रज्ञानम् आहन्ति प्रज्ञा हन्ति हता ह्रियम् ॥
ह्रीर् हता बाधते धर्मं धर्मो हन्ति हतः श्रियम् ॥
श्रीर् हता पुरुषं हन्ति पुरुषस्यास्वता वधः ॥
अस्वतो हि निवर्तन्ते ज्ञातयः सुहृदर्त्विजः ॥
अपुष्पाद् अफलाद् वृक्षाद् यथा तात पतत्रिणः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

pañca nas tāta dīyantāṃ grāmā vā nagarāṇi vā ||
vasema sahitā yeṣu mā ca no bharatā naśan ||
na ca tān api duṣṭātmā dhārtarāṣṭro 'numanyate ||
svāmyam ātmani matvāsāv ato duḥkhataraṃ nu kim ||
kule jātasya vṛddhasya paravitteṣu gṛdhyataḥ ||
lobhaḥ prajñānam āhanti prajñā hanti hatā hriyam ||
hrīr hatā bādhate dharmaṃ dharmo hanti hataḥ śriyam ||
śrīr hatā puruṣaṃ hanti puruṣasyāsvatā vadhaḥ ||
asvato hi nivartante jñātayaḥ suhṛdartvijaḥ ||
apuṣpād aphalād vṛkṣād yathā tāta patatriṇaḥ ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
पञ्चpañcafive; five in number
नस्nasour; for us
तातtātadear one; my son
दीयन्तांdīyantāṃlet be given; let be granted
ग्रामाgrāmāvillages; settlements
वाor; either
नगराणिnagarāṇitowns; fortified settlements
वाor; either
वसेमvasemawe would dwell; we might live
सहिताsahitāgathered together; united
येषुyeṣuin which; for which
माnot; let not
caand; also
नोnoour; of ours
भरताbharatāthe Bharatas; the descendants of Bharata
नशन्naśanlet them not perish; not perishing
nanot; no
caand; also
तान्tānthem; those
अपिapieven; also
दुष्टात्माduṣṭātmāthe wicked-souled one; of evil nature
धार्तराष्ट्रोdhārtarāṣṭrothe son of Dhritarashtra; Dhartarashtra
ऽनुमन्यते'numanyateagrees; approves
स्वाम्यम्svāmyamdominion; right of ownership
आत्मनिātmaniin himself; in his own soul
मत्वासाव्matvāsāvthinking this; this one, believing
अतोatotherefore; hence
दुःखतरंduḥkhataraṃmore grievous; more sorrowful
नुnuindeed; then
किम्kimwhat; which
कुलेkulein the family; in the lineage
जातस्यjātasyaof one born; of one descended
वृद्धस्यvṛddhasyaof the old; of one venerable in age
परवित्तेषुparavitteṣucoveting another's wealth; greedy for others' possessions
गृध्यतःgṛdhyataḥgreedily craving; avariciously desiring
लोभःlobhaḥgreed; avarice
प्रज्ञानम्prajñānamunderstanding; conscious comprehension
आहन्तिāhantistrikes down; destroys
प्रज्ञाprajñāwisdom; understanding
हन्तिhantikills; strikes
हताhatāstruck down; destroyed; damaged
ह्रियम्hriyamshame; conscience
ह्रीर्hrīrmodesty; shame
हताhatāstruck down; destroyed; damaged
बाधतेbādhateafflicts; torments
धर्मंdharmaṃdharma; righteous duty
धर्मोdharmodharma; righteousness
हन्तिhantikills; strikes
हतःhataḥstruck down; destroyed
श्रियम्śriyamglory; prosperity
श्रीर्śrīrglory and fortune; prosperity
हताhatāstruck down; destroyed; damaged
पुरुषंpuruṣaṃman; person
हन्तिhantikills; strikes
पुरुषस्यास्वताpuruṣasyāsvatādestitution of a man; a man's lack of possessions
वधःvadhaḥkilling; destruction
अस्वतोasvatofrom one without means; from the destitute
हिhiindeed; for
निवर्तन्तेnivartanteturn away; depart
ज्ञातयःjñātayaḥkinsmen; family
सुहृदर्त्विजःsuhṛdartvijaḥfriends and priests; well-wishers and ritwiks
अपुष्पाद्apuṣpādwithout flowers; unflowering
अफलाद्aphalādwithout fruit; fruitless
वृक्षाद्vṛkṣādfrom a tree; from the tree
यथाyathāas; in what manner
तातtātadear one; my son
पतत्रिणःpatatriṇaḥbirds; the winged ones
Translation

"Let five villages, or even towns, be given to us, dear one, where we might dwell together, so that the Bharatas among us do not perish." But even that the wicked-souled son of Dhritarashtra does not grant, deeming dominion to be his alone — and what could be more grievous than this? In one born of a noble family, in an old man greedy for another's wealth, greed destroys understanding; destroyed understanding kills shame; destroyed shame afflicts dharma; dharma, once struck down, destroys prosperity; and prosperity, once struck down, destroys the man himself — for the destitution of a man is itself his destruction. From the destitute, kinsmen, friends, and priests turn away — just as birds, dear one, desert a tree without flowers and without fruit.

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0b715475d627 · published Jul 17, 2026, 4:56:09 AM UTC

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