Mahabharata · 7.54.17–18
॥
Devanāgarī
वीरसूर् वीरपत्नी त्वं वीरश्वशुरबान्धवा ॥
मा शुचस् तनयं भद्रे गतः स परमां गतिम् ॥
प्राप्स्यते चाप्य् असौ क्षुद्रः सैन्धवो बालघातकः ॥
अस्यावलेपस्य फलं ससुहृद्गणबान्धवः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
vīrasūr vīrapatnī tvaṃ vīraśvaśurabāndhavā ||
mā śucas tanayaṃ bhadre gataḥ sa paramāṃ gatim ||
prāpsyate cāpy asau kṣudraḥ saindhavo bālaghātakaḥ ||
asyāvalepasya phalaṃ sasuhṛdgaṇabāndhavaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
वीरसूःvīrasūḥmother of heroes; mother of heroes
वीरपत्नी त्वम्vīrapatnī tvamyou are the wife of a hero; you are a hero's wife
वीरश्वशुरबान्धवाvīraśvaśurabāndhavāwith kinsmen and fathers-in-law who are heroes; with kin and fathers-in-law who are heroes
मा शुचः तनयम्mā śucaḥ tanayamdo not grieve for your son; do not grieve for your son
भद्रेbhadreO gracious one; O gracious one
गतः सः परमाम् गतिम्gataḥ saḥ paramām gatimhe has gone to the highest goal; he has ascended to the highest state
प्राप्स्यते च अपि असौ क्षुद्रःprāpsyate ca api asau kṣudraḥand that base one shall also obtain; and that wretch too shall obtain
सैन्धवः बालघातकःsaindhavaḥ bālaghātakaḥthe Saindhava, the slayer of a boy; the Saindhava, the child-killer
अस्य अवलेपस्य फलम्asya avalepasya phalamthe fruit of this [his own] arrogance; the fruit of his own insolence
ससुहृद्गणबान्धवःsasuhṛdgaṇabāndhavaḥtogether with the host of his friends and kin; together with all his kin and friends
Translation
"You are the mother of heroes, the wife of a hero, kin to fathers-in-law who are heroes; do not grieve for your son, O gracious one — he has ascended to the highest state. And that base Saindhava, the child-killer, shall obtain the fruit of his own arrogance, together with all his kin and friends."
Version
f2df83c3c3d3 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Krishna reminds Subhadra of her own dignity: "vīrasūḥ vīrapatnī… vīraśvaśura-bāndhavā" — mother, wife, kinswoman of heroes; grief does not become one whose whole line lives by valor. And at once comes the assurance of justice: "saindhavaḥ… prāpsyate asya avalepasya phalam", the child-killer will reap the fruit of his insolence. It is telling that the consolation joins two things: the honor of the fallen and the certainty of punishment for the guilty. The verse teaches that grief is quieted by a twofold light — the memory of the departed one's high estate, and faith in inevitable retribution for the wrongdoer: neither is the victim forgotten in heaven, nor does guilt escape its fruit.