Mahabharata — Ashramavasika Parva, Shloka 52

अश्रमवासिनां विषादः — Lament in Hastināpura after the Elders’ Forest Withdrawal

Devanagari script

श्वशुराय तत: कुन्ती प्रणम्य शिरसा तदा,तब कुन्तीने मस्तक झुकाकर श्वशुरको प्रणाम किया और लज्जित हो प्राचीन गुप्त रहस्यको प्रकट करते हुए कहा

Transliteration

śvaśurāya tataḥ kuntī praṇamya śirasā tadā

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana berkata: Lalu Kuntī menundukkan kepala dan menyembah ayah mertuanya. Dengan malu yang tertahan dan kesopanan, dia pun menyingkap suatu rahsia purba yang sekian lama tersembunyi—saat di mana kerendahan hati dan kebenaran diletakkan mengatasi aib diri demi dharma.

Word by Word

• श्वशुराय: to (her) father-in-law
• श्वशुराय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वशुर
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• कुन्ती: Kunti
• कुन्ती: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्ती
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रणम्य: having bowed/saluted
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here), Non-finite

• शिरसा: with (her) head
• शिरसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Kuntī
• śvaśura (father-in-law)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds humility and reverence within family and social order, suggesting that truthful disclosure—when aligned with dharma—may require overcoming personal embarrassment and placing duty above self-protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kuntī respectfully bows to her father-in-law and prepares to reveal a long-hidden, ancient secret, marking a transition from silence to disclosure in a morally charged family setting.