Mahabharata 9.42.403 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 42, Shloka 403

Sarasvatī-Śāpavimokṣa, Rākṣasa-Mokṣa, and Aruṇā-Tīrtha

Indra–Namuci Expiation

Devanagari script

सरस्वती तथा दृष्टवा बभूवुर्भशदु:खिता: । तदनन्तर ऋषि, देवता, गन्धर्व और अप्सरा सरस्वतीको उस अवस्थामें देखकर अत्यन्त दुःखी हो गये

Transliteration

sarasvatī tathā dṛṣṭvā babhūvur bhṛśa-duḥkhitāḥ | tad-anantaraṃ ṛṣayaḥ devatā gandharvā apsarasaś ca sarasvatīm tasmin avasthāyāṃ dṛṣṭvā atyantaṃ duḥkhitā abhavan |

Translation

सरस्वती को उस अवस्था में देखकर वे अत्यन्त दुःखी हो गए। तत्पश्चात् ऋषि, देवता, गन्धर्व और अप्सराएँ—सब सरस्वती को वैसी ही देखकर शोक से भर उठे।

Word by Word

• सरस्वतीम्: Sarasvatī (river/goddess) (as object)
• सरस्वतीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा, Active, Absolutive (having seen)

• बभूवुः: they became / were
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भृश-दुःखिताः: extremely sorrowful
• भृश-दुःखिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• Ṛṣis
• Devatās
• Gandharvas
• Apsarases

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharmic compassion: when a sacred and beneficent power like Sarasvatī is seen in distress, even divine and celestial beings respond with empathy, implying that sensitivity to suffering is a mark of righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha describes a scene where Sarasvatī is observed in a pitiable condition; immediately afterward, sages, gods, Gandharvas, and Apsarases see her and become intensely sorrowful.