Mahabharata · 7.55.9–10
॥
Devanāgarī
पाण्डवेषु च नाथेषु वृष्णिवीरेषु चाभिभो ॥
पाञ्चालेषु च वीरेषु हतः केनास्य् अनाथवत् ॥
अतृप्तदर्शना पुत्र दर्शनस्य तवानघ ॥
मन्दभाग्या गमिष्यामि व्यक्तम् अद्य यमक्षयम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
pāṇḍaveṣu ca nātheṣu vṛṣṇivīreṣu cābhibho ||
pāñcāleṣu ca vīreṣu hataḥ kenāsy anāthavat ||
atṛptadarśanā putra darśanasya tavānagha ||
mandabhāgyā gamiṣyāmi vyaktam adya yamakṣayam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
पाण्डवेषु च नाथेषुpāṇḍaveṣu ca nātheṣuwhen the Pandavas are protectors; with the Pandavas as protectors
वृष्णिवीरेषु चvṛṣṇivīreṣu caand [when] the Vrishni heroes; and the Vrishni warriors
अभिभोabhibhoO lord [mighty one]; O mighty one
पाञ्चालेषु च वीरेषुpāñcāleṣu ca vīreṣuand [when] the Panchala heroes; and the Panchala warriors
हतः केन असिhataḥ kena asiby whom were you slain; by whom then were you struck down
अनाथवत्anāthavatas if defenseless; like one defenseless
अतृप्तदर्शना पुत्रatṛptadarśanā putranot sated with the sight, O son; not having gazed my fill, O son
दर्शनस्य तव अनघdarśanasya tava anaghaof beholding you, O sinless one; of the sight of you, O sinless one
मन्दभाग्या गमिष्यामिmandabhāgyā gamiṣyāmiill-fated, I shall depart; ill-fated, I shall depart
व्यक्तम् अद्य यमक्षयम्vyaktam adya yamakṣayamsurely, now to the abode of Yama; surely, now to the hall of Yama
Translation
"When the Pandavas are protectors, and the Vrishni heroes, O mighty one, and the Panchala heroes — by whom were you slain, as if defenseless? Not having gazed my fill, O son, upon your sinless face, I, ill-fated, shall surely now depart to the abode of Yama."
Version
dacb72fa75d1 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The heart of the mother's reproach is 'anāthavat,' 'as if defenseless': amid such a host of protectors the son perished as an orphan. This word, spoken also by Arjuna, cuts sharper still in a mother's mouth. And 'atṛptadarśanā... darśanasya tava,' 'not having gazed my fill upon you' — the mother confesses that love is never given enough time to behold its child. The verse teaches that the heaviest part of losing one dear is the thought of his solitude in the fatal hour amid a multitude bound to guard him; and that a mother's love is insatiable — it never has enough glances at the one who has gone.