Shloka 18

Duryodhana Seized by Citraseṇa; Kaurava Petition to Yudhiṣṭhira (दुर्योधनापहारः / चित्रसेनगन्धर्वग्रहणम्)

Devanagari script

स्कन्द उवाच वृत्ता: प्रजा न ता: शक्‍्या भवतीभिनिषिवितुम्‌ । अन्यां व: कां प्रयच्छामि प्रजां यां मनसेच्छथ,स्कन्द बोले--माताओ! जिन प्रजाओंकी उत्पत्तिका अवसर बीत गया, उन्हें आपलोग अब नहीं पा सकतीं। यदि दूसरी कोई प्रजा पानेकी आपके मनमें इच्छा हो तो कहिये, मैं उसे प्रदान करूँगा

Transliteration

Skanda uvāca: vṛttāḥ prajā na tāḥ śakyā bhavatībhir niṣevitum | anyāṃ vaḥ kāṃ prayacchāmi prajāṃ yāṃ manasecchatha ||

Translation

Skanda said: “Mothers, the time for bringing forth those offspring has passed; you are no longer able to obtain them. If you desire some other kind of progeny in your hearts, speak—whatever progeny you wish for, I shall grant it.”

Word by Word

• {'Skanda uvāca': 'Skanda said', 'vṛttāḥ': 'gone by, elapsed, past (of time/opportunity)', 'prajā': 'offspring

• creatures/subjects', 'na śakyāḥ': 'not possible

• cannot be done/obtained', 'bhavatībhiḥ': 'by you (honorific feminine plural: ‘by you ladies/mothers’)', 'niṣevitum': 'to obtain/secure

• to partake of (here: to get/receive)', 'anyām': 'another, different', 'vaḥ': 'for you

• to you (plural)', 'kām': 'which? what kind? (interrogative, feminine accusative)', 'prayacchāmi': 'I give

• I bestow', 'yām': 'which/that (relative pronoun, feminine accusative)', 'manasā icchatha (manasecchatha)': 'you desire in your mind

Speaker

स्कन्द उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• mothers (bhavatyaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the boundary set by time and circumstance—some outcomes cannot be reclaimed once their proper occasion has passed—yet it also affirms compassionate divine agency: within what is still possible, a boon may be granted according to sincere desire.

What is happening in the narrative?

Skanda addresses a group of mothers, telling them that the opportunity to obtain the earlier-mentioned progeny has already passed. He then offers an alternative: if they wish for a different kind of progeny, they should state their desire, and he will grant it.