Mahabharata 16.5.2 — Mausala Parva, Adhyaya 5, Shloka 2

Chapter 5: Dāruka’s Mission, Balarāma’s Yogic Departure, and Kṛṣṇa’s Niṣkramaṇa

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा विनष्टान्‌ वार्ष्णेयान्‌ू सभोजान्धककौकुरान्‌ । पाण्डवा: शोकसंतप्ता वित्रस्तमनसो5भवन्‌

Transliteration

śrutvā vinaṣṭān vārṣṇeyān sabhojāndhakakaukurān | pāṇḍavāḥ śokasaṃtaptā vitrastamanaso 'bhavan ||

Translation

വാർഷ്ണേയ വീരന്മാരോടൊപ്പം ഭോജ, അന്ധക, കൗകുരവർ എന്നിവരുടെ നാശവാർത്ത കേട്ട് പാണ്ഡവർ ശോകത്തിൽ ദഹിച്ചു; ഉള്ളിൽ ഉള്ളിൽ ഭയത്താൽ വിറച്ചു.

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), परस्मैपद-भाव, —, —, —

• विनष्टान्: destroyed, perished
• विनष्टान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनष्ट (वि+नश् → विनष्ट, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वार्ष्णेयान्: the Vrishnis (descendants of Vrishni)
• वार्ष्णेयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ष्णेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• भोज: the Bhojas
• भोज: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural, समासे पूर्वपदत्वात् रूपं प्रातिपदिकवत्; समस्तपदे 'भोजान्' इत्यर्थः

• अन्धक: the Andhakas
• अन्धक: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural, समासे पूर्वपदत्वात् रूपं प्रातिपदिकवत्; समस्तपदे 'अन्धकान्' इत्यर्थः

• कौकुरान्: the Kukuras
• कौकुरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौकुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पाण्डवाः: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शोक-संतप्ताः: afflicted by grief
• शोक-संतप्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + संतप्त (सम्+तप् → संतप्त, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वित्रस्त-मनसः: whose minds were terrified
• वित्रस्त-मनसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वित्रस्त (वि+त्रस् → वित्रस्त, क्त) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अभवन्: became, were
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3rd, Plural, परस्मैपद

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pāṇḍavas
• Vārṣṇeyas
• Bhojas
• Andhakas
• Kaukuras

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even mighty and dharmic lineages are subject to collapse; the verse highlights the ethical gravity of violence’s long shadow and the inevitability of impermanence, urging sobriety and detachment in the face of worldly supports failing.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports that the Pāṇḍavas hear of the annihilation of Kṛṣṇa’s clan groups (Vārṣṇeyas and related Bhoja, Andhaka, Kaukura heroes). The news overwhelms them with grief and inner alarm, marking a turning point toward the end of the epic’s worldly order.