Shloka 27

Devanagari script

व्याकुलं मे मनस्तात श्रुत्वा सुमहदप्रियम्‌ । मनो मुहति चाड़ानि न च शकक्‍्नोमि धारितुम्‌

Transliteration

vyākulaṃ me manas tāta śrutvā sumahad apriyam | mano muhati cāḍāni na ca śaknomi dhāritum ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Dear one, my mind has become agitated on hearing this exceedingly grievous and unwelcome news. My thoughts reel and falter, and I am unable to steady or sustain my composure.”

Word by Word

• व्याकुलम्: agitated, disturbed
• व्याकुलम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याकुल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मे: my
• मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तात: O dear one / O father (term of address)
• तात: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• सुमहत्: very great
• सुमहत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमहत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अप्रियम्: unpleasant (thing/news)
• अप्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मुह्यति: is bewildered / faints
• मुह्यति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• च: and
• च: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अङ्गानि: limbs
• अङ्गानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• न: not
• न: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• च: and
• च: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शक्नोमि: I am able
• शक्नोमि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक्
• Form: Present, Indicative, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धारितुम्: to hold/steady (bear)
• धारितुम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), —

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and psychological weight of hearing grievous news: even the wise narrator admits mental agitation, implying that steadiness (dhairya) is a virtue that can be tested by the harsh realities of war and loss.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the frame narration, Vaiśampāyana reacts to hearing extremely distressing developments in the war account. He confesses that his mind wavers and he struggles to maintain composure before continuing the narration.