Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 178 — Royal Contestants Assemble; Cosmic Witnesses; The Bow Remains Unstrung
तातेति परिपूर्णार्थ तस्य तन्मधुरं वच: । अदृश्यन्त्यश्रुपूर्णाक्षी शृण्वती तमुवाच ह,बेटेके मुखसे परिपूर्ण अर्थका बोधक “तात” यह मधुर वचन सुनकर अदृश्यन्तीके नेत्रोमें आँसू भर आये और वह उससे बोली--
tāteti paripūrṇārtha tasya tan-madhuraṃ vacaḥ | adṛśyanty-aśru-pūrṇākṣī śṛṇvatī tam uvāca ha ||
فلما سمعت أَدْرِشْيَنْتِي تلك الكلمةَ العذبة—«تاتا» (tāta)، وهي لفظةٌ تامّةُ المعنى—اغرورقت عيناها بالدموع؛ وبينما هي تُصغي إليه قالت له—
गन्धर्व उवाच
Gentle, respectful address (“tāta”) can carry complete meaning and moral force: it softens the listener, evokes empathy, and prepares the ground for truthful, humane dialogue.
A Gandharva speaks tenderly, addressing someone as “tāta.” Adṛśyantī, moved by the sweetness and fullness of that word, becomes tearful and then responds to him.