Mahabharata
Bhagavad-yāna (073) (Kṛṣṇa's Embassy to the Kurus, Chapters 71-137)5.73.16-20
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Mahabharata · 5.73.16-20
Devanāgarī

अहो पार्थ निमित्तानि विपरीतानि पश्यसि ॥
स्वप्नान्ते जागरान्ते च तस्मात् प्रशमम् इच्छसि ॥
अहो नाशंससे किं चित् पुंस्त्वं क्लीब इवात्मनि ॥
कश्मलेनाभिपन्नो ऽसि तेन ते विकृतं मनः ॥
उद्वेपते ते हृदयं मनस् ते प्रविषीदति ॥
ऊरुस्तम्भगृहीतो ऽसि तस्मात् प्रशमम् इच्छसि ॥
अनित्यं किल मर्त्यस्य चित्तं पार्थ चलाचलम् ॥
वातवेगप्रचलिता अष्ठीला शाल्मलेर् इव ॥
तवैषा विकृता बुद्धिर् गवां वाग् इव मानुषी ॥
मनांसि पाण्डुपुत्राणां मज्जयत्य् अप्लवान् इव ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

aho pārtha nimittāni viparītāni paśyasi ||
svapnānte jāgarānte ca tasmāt praśamam icchasi ||
aho nāśaṃsase kiṃ cit puṃstvaṃ klība ivātmani ||
kaśmalenābhipanno 'si tena te vikṛtaṃ manaḥ ||
udvepate te hṛdayaṃ manas te praviṣīdati ||
ūrustambhagṛhīto 'si tasmāt praśamam icchasi ||
anityaṃ kila martyasya cittaṃ pārtha calācalam ||
vātavegapracalitā aṣṭhīlā śālmaler iva ||
tavaiṣā vikṛtā buddhir gavāṃ vāg iva mānuṣī ||
manāṃsi pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ majjayaty aplavān iva ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अहोahooh!; ah!
पार्थpārthaO son of Pritha; O son of Pritha
निमित्तानिnimittāniomens; signs
विपरीतानिviparītānireversed; ill
पश्यसिpaśyasiyou see; you regard
स्वप्नान्तेsvapnānteat the end of sleep; at the close of a dream
जागरान्तेjāgarānteat the end of waking; at the close of wakefulness
caand; also
तस्मात्tasmāttherefore; for that reason
प्रशमम्praśamampeace; pacification
इच्छसिicchasiyou desire; you wish
अहोahooh!; ah!
नाशंससेnāśaṃsaseyou do not hope for; you do not expect
किंkiṃwhat; which
चित्citat all; any
पुंस्त्वंpuṃstvaṃmanliness; manly strength
क्लीबklībaa eunuch; an unmanly one
इवात्मनिivātmanias if within oneself; as though in one's own self
कश्मलेनाभिपन्नोkaśmalenābhipannoovercome by faintness; enveloped in confusion
ऽसि'siyou are; are
तेनtenaby it; by that
तेteyour; of you
विकृतंvikṛtaṃdisturbed; changed
मनःmanaḥmind; thought
उद्वेपतेudvepatetrembles; quivers; shakes
तेteyour; of you
हृदयंhṛdayaṃheart; the core
मनस्manasmind; consciousness
तेteyour; of you
प्रविषीदतिpraviṣīdatisinks into despair; falls into faintness
ऊरुस्तम्भगृहीतोūrustambhagṛhītoseized by numbness of the thighs; paralyzed in the legs
ऽसि'siyou are; are
तस्मात्tasmāttherefore; for that reason
प्रशमम्praśamampeace; pacification
इच्छसिicchasiyou desire; you wish
अनित्यंanityaṃimpermanent; fleeting
किलkilaindeed; as is well known
मर्त्यस्यmartyasyaof a mortal; of a man
चित्तंcittaṃmind; consciousness
पार्थpārthaO son of Pritha; O son of Pritha
चलाचलम्calācalamnow moving, now still; wavering and unwavering
वातवेगप्रचलिताvātavegapracalitāshaken by the force of the wind; swayed by a gust of wind
अष्ठीलाaṣṭhīlāa tuft of cotton; a wisp of down
शाल्मलेर्śālmalerof the shalmali tree; of the silk-cotton tree
इवivalike; as if
तवैषाtavaiṣāthis of yours; yours, this
विकृताvikṛtādistorted; altered
बुद्धिर्buddhirthought; mind
गवांgavāṃof cows; among cows
वाग्vāgspeech; voice
इवivalike; as if
मानुषीmānuṣīhuman; of men
मनांसिmanāṃsiminds; hearts
पाण्डुपुत्राणांpāṇḍuputrāṇāṃof the sons of Pandu; of the Pandavas
मज्जयत्य्majjayatydrowns; sinks
अप्लवान्aplavānthose without a boat; those unable to swim
इवivalike; as if
Translation

There, in the presence of all the kings, I shall recount all your virtues, which are not found in every man, as well as all of Duryodhana's vices. And hearing me speak beneficial words, pregnant with virtue and advantage, the rulers of the various realms will hold you to be a soul of virtue and a speaker of truth, while at the same time they will perceive how Duryodhana is driven by greed. I shall likewise proclaim Duryodhana's vice before the citizens and the people of the land, before young and old of all four orders who gather there. And when you sue for peace, no one will accuse you of sin, while all the chiefs of the earth will condemn the Kurus and Dhritarashtra; and when Duryodhana dies, abandoned by all, there will be nothing more to do. Do, then, what must be done now. Setting out for the Kurus, I shall strive to secure peace without sacrificing your interests, and, marking their inclination toward war and all their doings, I shall soon return, O Bharata, to secure your victory. I believe that war with the enemy is beyond doubt. All the omens I observe point to this.

Version

e9237af79811 · published Jul 17, 2026, 4:51:54 AM UTC

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