Mahabharata 3.21.22 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 22

Dvārakā’s Distress and the Saubha Engagement (द्वारकाव्यग्रता तथा सौभयुद्धम्)

Devanagari script

ततो<पश्यं महाराज प्रपतन्तमहं तदा । सौभाच्छूरसुतं वीर ततो मां मोह आविशत्‌,वीर महाराज! इसी समय मैंने देखा, सौभविमानसे मेरे पिता वसुदेवजी नीचे गिर रहे हैं। इससे शाल्वकी मायासे मुझे मूर्च्छा-सी आ गयी

Transliteration

tato ’paśyaṁ mahārāja prapatantam ahaṁ tadā | saubhāc chūrasutaṁ vīra tato māṁ moha āviśat ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ, മഹാരാജാവേ, ആ നിമിഷം തന്നെ ഞാൻ അദ്ദേഹത്തെ താഴേക്ക് പതിക്കുന്നതായി കണ്ടു. സൗഭ-വിമാനത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ശൂരപുത്രനായ വീരൻ വസുദേവൻ താഴേക്ക് വീഴുന്നത് കണ്ടപ്പോൾ മോഹം എന്നെ പിടികൂടി; മൂർച്ചപോലൊരു വിറയലും ഭ്രമവും വന്നു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अपश्यम्: I saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 1, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रपतन्तम्: falling down
• प्रपतन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पत्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• तदा: at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• सौभात्: from/away from Saubha (the aerial city/vehicle)
• सौभात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभ
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• शूरसुतम्: the son of Śūra (Vasudeva)
• शूरसुतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूरसुत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वीर: O hero
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ततः: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• मोहः: delusion, swoon
• मोहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आविशत्: entered, seized
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-विश्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वायुदेव (Vāyudeva)
• महाराज (Mahārāja—addressed king)
• सौभ (Saubha)
• शूरसुत (Śūrasuta—Vasudeva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how deceptive appearances (māyā) can overwhelm even a powerful being with moha (bewilderment). Ethically, it cautions that in moments of shock—especially involving revered elders—one must strive for steadiness and discernment rather than being carried away by illusion-driven panic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses the king and recounts that he saw the Śūrasuta (Vasudeva) falling from Saubha, the aerial palace/city. Witnessing this sudden, alarming sight, Vāyudeva is seized by moha, experiencing a swoon-like confusion—suggesting the event is tied to a deceptive or extraordinary circumstance.