Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 27

Adhyāya 6: Kaṅka (Yudhiṣṭhira) Seeks Refuge in Virāṭa’s Assembly

Devanagari script

देव्युवाच शृणु राजन्‌ महाबाहो मदीयं वचन प्रभो

Transliteration

devy uvāca śṛṇu rājan mahābāho madīyaṃ vacanaṃ prabho | śīghraṃ te saṃgrāme vijayo bhaviṣyati | mama prasādāt kaurava-senāṃ jitvā tāṃ ca saṃhṛtya tvaṃ niṣkaṇṭakaṃ rājyaṃ kariṣyasi punaś ca pṛthivyāḥ sukhaṃ bhokṣyasi | rājan bhrātṛbhiḥ saha pūrṇa-prasannatāṃ prāpsyasi ||

Translation

The Goddess said: “Listen, O king, mighty-armed lord, to my words. Very soon you will gain victory in battle. By my favor you will defeat the Kaurava host and, having destroyed it, you will rule a kingdom free of thorns—without hostile obstruction—and once again enjoy the happiness of the earth. O king, together with your brothers you will attain complete contentment.”

Word by Word

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शृणु: listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• महाबाहो: O mighty-armed one
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मदीयम्: my
• मदीयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदीय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वचनम्: word; statement
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रभो: O lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Devī (the Goddess)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kaurava army
• Pṛthivī (the earth)
• Pāṇḍava brothers (implied by 'bhrātṛbhiḥ')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes divine sanction for righteous restoration: when a king aligned with dharma endures hardship, grace and right action culminate in victory and the re-establishment of orderly rule (niṣkaṇṭaka rājya), bringing welfare to the land and harmony among kin.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Goddess addresses Yudhiṣṭhira with a promise: he will soon win the coming war, defeat and destroy the Kaurava forces, regain unobstructed sovereignty, and enjoy prosperity again, attaining full happiness together with his brothers.