Mahabharata · 7.54.9–10
॥
Devanāgarī
अथ कृष्णं महाबाहुर् अब्रवीत् पाकशासनिः ॥
आश्वासय सुभद्रां त्वं भगिनीं स्नुषया सह ॥
स्नुषा श्वश्व्रानघायस्ते विशोके कुरु माधव ॥
साम्ना सत्येन युक्तेन वचसाश्वासय प्रभो ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
atha kṛṣṇaṃ mahābāhur abravīt pākaśāsaniḥ ||
āśvāsaya subhadrāṃ tvaṃ bhaginīṃ snuṣayā saha ||
snuṣā śvaśvrānaghāyaste viśoke kuru mādhava ||
sāmnā satyena yuktena vacasāśvāsaya prabho ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अथ कृष्णम् महाबाहुःatha kṛṣṇam mahābāhuḥthen to Krishna the mighty-armed; then to Krishna the mighty-armed one
अब्रवीत् पाकशासनिःabravīt pākaśāsaniḥsaid the son of Pakashasana [Indra; Arjuna]; spoke the son of Pakashasana
आश्वासय सुभद्राम् त्वम्āśvāsaya subhadrām tvamconsole you; console you
भगिनीम् स्नुषया सहbhaginīm snuṣayā saha[my] sister, together with the daughter-in-law; sister together with the daughter-in-law
स्नुषा श्वश्र्वाsnuṣā śvaśrvādaughter-in-law with mother-in-law; daughter-in-law with mother-in-law
अनघा अस्तेanaghā astesinless, they remain; sinless, they remain
विशोके कुरु माधवviśoke kuru mādhavamake free of sorrow, O Madhava; deliver from sorrow, O Madhava
साम्ना सत्येन युक्तेनsāmnā satyena yuktenawith kindness, truth, fitting; with kindness, truth, apt
वचसा आश्वासय प्रभोvacasā āśvāsaya prabhowith speech console, O lord; with words console, O lord
Translation
Then the mighty-armed son of Pakashasana said to Krishna: "Console Subhadra, my sister, together with the daughter-in-law. The daughter-in-law and the mother-in-law, sinless as they are, remain [in grief] — deliver them from sorrow, O Madhava; with kindness, with truth, and with fitting words, console them, O lord."
Version
53baec4923e4 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Struck by grief himself, Arjuna nonetheless thinks first of the women of the house and entrusts their consolation to none other than Krishna: "sāmnā satyena yuktena vacasā āśvāsaya". It is telling that the remedy named is "kindness, truth, fitting speech": consolation must be gentle, truthful, and apt all at once. And it is entrusted to the Lord — for only He can give grief a true foundation. The verse teaches that in caring for the suffering one must join gentleness with truth; and that the surest consolation is that which comes from God, to whom the devotee likewise entrusts the care of those dear to him.