Mahabharata · 7.54.15–16
॥
Devanāgarī
जित्वा सुबहुशः शत्रून् प्रेषयित्वा च मृत्यवे ॥
गतः पुण्यकृतां लोकान् सर्वकामदुहो ऽक्षयान् ॥
तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण श्रुतेन प्रज्ञयापि च ॥
सन्तो यां गतिम् इच्छन्ति प्राप्तस् तां तव पुत्रकः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jitvā subahuśaḥ śatrūn preṣayitvā ca mṛtyave ||
gataḥ puṇyakṛtāṃ lokān sarvakāmaduho 'kṣayān ||
tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śrutena prajñayāpi ca ||
santo yāṃ gatim icchanti prāptas tāṃ tava putrakaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
जित्वा सुबहुशः शत्रून्jitvā subahuśaḥ śatrūnhaving conquered very many enemies; having vanquished countless enemies
प्रेषयित्वा च मृत्यवेpreṣayitvā ca mṛtyaveand having sent [them] to death; and having consigned them to death
गतः पुण्यकृताम् लोकान्gataḥ puṇyakṛtām lokānhe went to the worlds of the meritorious; he ascended to the worlds of the righteous
सर्वकामदुहः अक्षयान्sarvakāmaduhaḥ akṣayānfulfilling all desires, imperishable; granting every wish, imperishable
तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येणtapasā brahmacaryeṇaby austerity, celibate discipline; by asceticism, celibacy
श्रुतेन प्रज्ञया अपि चśrutena prajñayā api caby learning and by wisdom as well; by learning and by wisdom likewise
सन्तः याम् गतिम् इच्छन्तिsantaḥ yām gatim icchantiwhat goal the righteous desire; what goal the virtuous desire
प्राप्तः ताम् तव पुत्रकःprāptaḥ tām tava putrakaḥthat has your little son attained; that has your dear son reached
Translation
"Having conquered very many enemies and consigned them to death, he has ascended to the worlds of the meritorious — imperishable, granting every desire. What goal the righteous seek through austerity, celibate discipline, learning, and wisdom — that goal your dear son has attained."
Version
b7afc16f6cd6 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Krishna equates death in righteous battle with the fruits of the highest asceticism: the goal the saints seek "tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śrutena prajñayā", through austerity, celibacy, learning, wisdom, the boy has "prāptaḥ", attained at once, by fulfilling his duty. It is telling that the path of the warrior who fell for the truth is set on par with the path of the ascetic. "Tava putrakaḥ", "your dear son" — a tender word softens the grandeur of what is said. The verse teaches that faithfulness to one's duty unto death is the highest austerity: it opens the same imperishable worlds that others reach only through years of penance and study.