Mahabharata · 7.59.19–20
॥
Devanāgarī
तस्याद्य गृध्राः श्येनाश् च वडगोमायवस् तथा ॥
भक्षयिष्यन्ति मांसानि ये चान्ये पुरुषादकाः ॥
यद्य् अस्य देवा गोप्तारः सेन्द्राः सर्वे तथाप्य् असौ ॥
राजधानीं यमस्याद्य हतः प्राप्स्यति संकुले ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tasyādya gṛdhrāḥ śyenāś ca vaḍagomāyavas tathā ||
bhakṣayiṣyanti māṃsāni ye cānye puruṣādakāḥ ||
yady asya devā goptāraḥ sendrāḥ sarve tathāpy asau ||
rājadhānīṃ yamasyādya hataḥ prāpsyati saṃkule ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तस्य अद्य गृध्राः श्येनाः चtasya adya gṛdhrāḥ śyenāḥ cahis flesh now vultures and hawks; his flesh now vultures and hawks
वडगोमायवः तथाvaḍagomāyavaḥ tathāherons and jackals likewise; herons and jackals as well
भक्षयिष्यन्ति मांसानिbhakṣayiṣyanti māṃsāniwill devour; will devour
ये च अन्ये पुरुषादकाःye ca anye puruṣādakāḥand other flesh-eaters as well; and other flesh-eaters as well
यदि अस्य देवाः गोप्तारःyadi asya devāḥ goptāraḥeven if his protectors are the gods; even if the gods are his defense
स-इन्द्राः सर्वेsa-indrāḥ sarvewith Indra, all of them; all of them, with Indra
तथा अपि असौtathā api asaueven then he; even then he
राजधानीम् यमस्य अद्यrājadhānīm yamasya adyato the capital of Yama today; to the capital of Yama today
हतः प्राप्स्यति संकुलेhataḥ prāpsyati saṃkuleslain, will reach -- in the melee; slain, will arrive -- amid the fray
Translation
"His flesh will now be devoured by vultures and hawks, herons and jackals, and other flesh-eaters as well. Even if his protectors were the gods themselves, with Indra among them, still he, slain in the melee, will this day reach the capital of Yama."
Version
641ad482c277 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Krishna repeats the same truth that rang in Arjuna's vow: "yadi asya devāḥ goptāraḥ sa-indrāḥ... tathā api", even the gods with Indra will not turn aside the retribution. It is significant that the Lord's word seals the devotee's word: what Arjuna swore, Krishna now confirms. Retribution is inescapable for one guilty of iniquity. The verse teaches that a sentence pronounced in accord with God's will cannot be overturned by any defense: where the Lord has settled the outcome, even the whole host of heaven is powerless to shelter the guilty -- for behind the word stands the supreme will itself.