Mahabharata · 7.50.39–40
॥
Devanāgarī
यः पुरा बोध्यते सुप्तः सूतमागधबन्दिभिः ॥
बोधयन्त्य् अद्य तं नूनं श्वापदा विकृतैः स्वरैः ॥
छत्रच्छायासमुचितं तस्य तद् वदनं शुभम् ॥
नूनम् अद्य रजोध्वस्तं रणे रेणुः करिष्यति ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
yaḥ purā bodhyate suptaḥ sūtamāgadhabandibhiḥ ||
bodhayanty adya taṃ nūnaṃ śvāpadā vikṛtaiḥ svaraiḥ ||
chatracchāyāsamucitaṃ tasya tad vadanaṃ śubham ||
nūnam adya rajodhvastaṃ raṇe reṇuḥ kariṣyati ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यः पुरा बोध्यते सुप्तःyaḥ purā bodhyate suptaḥwhom formerly, sleeping, they used to wake; whom of old, asleep, they would waken
सूतमागधबन्दिभिःsūtamāgadhabandibhiḥby bards, panegyrists, and minstrels; by sutas, magadhas, and bards
बोधयन्ति अद्य तम् नूनम्bodhayanti adya tam nūnamnow, surely, they waken him; now, surely, they waken him
श्वापदाःśvāpadāḥpredatory beasts; beasts of prey
विकृतैः स्वरैःvikṛtaiḥ svaraiḥwith monstrous [wild] voices; with wild voices
छत्रच्छायासमुचितम्chatracchāyāsamucitamaccustomed to the shade of the royal parasol; accustomed to the shade of the royal canopy
तस्य तत् वदनम् शुभम्tasya tat vadanam śubhamthat beautiful face of his; that radiant face of his
नूनम् अद्य रजोध्वस्तम्nūnam adya rajodhvastamnow, surely, covered with dust; now, surely, covered in dust
रणे रेणुः करिष्यतिraṇe reṇuḥ kariṣyatithe battlefield's dust will make [of it]; the dust of battle will render it
Translation
"Whom of old, asleep, sutas, magadhas, and bards would waken — him now, surely, beasts of prey waken with wild cries. That radiant face of his, accustomed to the shade of the royal canopy — now, surely, the dust of battle will cover it."
Version
f92fd4879093 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:30:04 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Again the overturning of tenderness into desecration: instead of bards singing the prince's awakening, the howling of beasts; instead of the canopy's shade, "rajodhvastam," the covering of dust. It is telling that the father imagines even this — precisely how his child now lies and by whom he is now "awakened": love does not turn away from the terrible but shares the beloved's fate to the end. "Tat vadanaṃ śubham," "that radiant face," strewn with dust, is the summit of this sorrowful contrast. The verse teaches that true love does not flee from the grievous details of loss, but remains, in thought, beside the departed even in his desecration.