Mahabharata 9.50.583 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 50, Shloka 583

Sārasvata–Dadhīca Upākhyāna at Sarasvatī Tīrtha

Balarāma’s Pilgrimage Context

Devanagari script

दिशो दश व्याहरतां मोक्ष त्यक्तुं मनो दधे । दसों दिशाओंमें विलाप करते हुए उन प्राणियोंका करुणायुक्त वचन सुनकर देवलने मोक्षधर्म (संन्यास)-को त्याग देनेका विचार किया

Transliteration

diśo daśa vyāharatāṃ mokṣaṃ tyaktuṃ mano dadhe |

Translation

പത്ത് ദിക്കുകളിലുമുയർന്ന കരുണാവിലാപം കേട്ട ദേവലൻ, മനസ്സിൽ മോക്ഷധർമ്മമായ സന്ന്യാസമാർഗം ഉപേക്ഷിക്കണമെന്ന് നിശ്ചയിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक: दिशा)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• दश: ten
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्
• Form: —, —, —

• व्याहरताम्: of (those) uttering / lamenting
• व्याहरताम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-आ-हृ (धातु: आहृ/आहर्; प्रयोग: व्याहरति)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (वर्तमान कृदन्त), —, Genitive, Plural

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• त्यक्तुम्: to abandon
• त्यक्तुम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज्
• Form: तुमुन् (इन्फिनिटिव), Parasmaipada, —, —, —

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दधे: placed / resolved
• दधे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Devala
• daśa diśaḥ (ten directions)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ethical tension: personal pursuit of liberation (mokṣa through saṃnyāsa) may be challenged by compassion and responsibility toward suffering beings. True dharma can require re-evaluating one’s chosen path when confronted with others’ distress.

What is happening in the narrative?

As cries of lamentation seem to arise from all directions, Devala is emotionally and morally moved. He forms a resolve to give up the renunciant path of mokṣa-dharma, suggesting a turn from withdrawal toward engagement prompted by compassion.