Mahābhārata · 7.50.37–38
॥
Devanāgarī
सुकुमारः सदा वीरो महार्हशयनोचितः ॥
भूमाव् अनाथवच् छेते नूनं नाथवतां वरः ॥
शयानं समुपासन्ति यं पुरा परमस्त्रियः ॥
तम् अद्य विप्रविद्धाङ्गम् उपासन्त्य् अशिवाः शिवाः ॥
Transliteración (IAST)
sukumāraḥ sadā vīro mahārhaśayanocitaḥ ||
bhūmāv anāthavac chete nūnaṃ nāthavatāṃ varaḥ ||
śayānaṃ samupāsanti yaṃ purā paramastriyaḥ ||
tam adya vipraviddhāṅgam upāsanty aśivāḥ śivāḥ ||
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
सुकुमारःsukumāraḥtender [delicate]; tender
सदा वीरःsadā vīraḥalways a hero; ever a hero
महार्हशयनोचितःmahārhaśayanocitaḥaccustomed to a precious bed; accustomed to a costly couch
भूमौ अनाथवत् शेतेbhūmau anāthavat śetelies on the ground like one without protector; lies on the ground like one forsaken
नूनम्nūnamnow [surely]; surely
नाथवताम् वरःnāthavatām varaḥbest of those who have protectors [who have defenders]; first among the sheltered
शयानम्śayānamlying [reclining]; reclining
समुपासन्तिsamupāsantithey wait upon [surround with care]; attended
यम् पुराyam purāwhom formerly; whom of old
परमस्त्रियःparamastriyaḥmost beautiful wives [maidens]; beauteous wives
तम् अद्यtam adyahim now; him now
विप्रविद्धाङ्गम्vipraviddhāṅgamwith limbs flung about [prostrate]; with limbs strewn about
उपासन्तिupāsantisurround; encircle
अशिवाः शिवाःaśivāḥ śivāḥill-omened jackal-females; baleful she-jackals
Traducción
"Tender, ever a hero, accustomed to a costly couch, he lies on the ground like one forsaken — he, surely, the first among those who have protectors. Him whom of old, as he reclined, beauteous wives attended, him now, with limbs strewn about, baleful she-jackals encircle."
Versión
c06d2343ffcc · publicado 19 jul 2026, 15:30:04 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
The bitterest image is "nāthavatāṃ varaḥ... anāthavat śete": "the first among those who have protectors" lies "like one forsaken." Having Arjuna for a father and Krishna for a grandfather, the boy died without protection — and so the guilt of those who surrounded him weighs heavier still. The contrast of beautiful attendant maidens with the "aśivāḥ śivāḥ," the baleful she-jackals at the body, paints the overturning of all order: tenderness turned to desecration. It is telling that the word "anātha," "forsaken," in the father's mouth is also a verdict upon himself. The verse teaches that the greatest orphanhood is not the absence of kin, but their helplessness in the fatal hour.