Mahabharata 9.63.47 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 63, Shloka 47

Duryodhana’s Post-Duel Lament and Instructions (भग्नसक्थस्य विलापः)

Devanagari script

याचितस्त्वं शमं नित्यं न च तत्‌ कृतवानसि । 'भीष्म

Transliteration

yācitas tvaṁ śamaṁ nityaṁ na ca tat kṛtavān asi | kālopahatacittā hi sarve muhyanti bhārata ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Engkau telah berkali-kali dipohon agar berdamai, namun engkau tidak melakukannya. Wahai Bhārata, apabila budi dipukul dan dikelabukan oleh kuasa Kala (Waktu), semua manusia jatuh ke dalam khayal dan kesesatan. Demikian juga, dahulu ketika persiapan perang bermula, pengertianmu turut menjadi bingung—apa lagi yang dapat dinamakan selain kerja Kala? Sesungguhnya takdir sahajalah menjadi sandaran terakhir.”

Word by Word

• याचितः: having been requested/entreated
• याचितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: याच्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शमम्: peace, pacification
• शमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तत्: that (thing)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृतवान्: did, has done
• कृतवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्तवतुँ (perfective past active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• असि: you are
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present (Lat), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कालोपहतचित्ताः: those whose minds are struck/overpowered by Time
• कालोपहतचित्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल-उपहत-चित्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मुह्यन्ति: become deluded
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)
• Kāla (Time/Destiny)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even wise counsel can fail when the mind is overpowered by Kāla (Time/destiny): delusion arises, and one neglects peace. The verse highlights moral responsibility—peace was urged—while also acknowledging the Mahābhārata’s theme that Time can cloud judgment and drive events toward war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses the Bhārata king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra), reminding him that he was repeatedly asked to pursue peace but did not act. He explains this failure as the effect of Kāla, which afflicts the mind and leads to confusion, especially at the critical moment when war preparations began.