Shloka 6
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 ||
Hearing his sweet utterance—“tāta,” a word complete in meaning—Adṛśyantī’s eyes filled with tears; and as she listened, she spoke to him—
गन्धर्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.