Shloka 15

Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 103: Garuḍa’s Protest, Viṣṇu’s Demonstration, and Counsel Toward Śama

Devanagari script

महर्षे! मेरी दृष्टिमें आपके इस वचनका कम आदर नहीं है और ये मातलि तो इन्द्रके साथ रहनेवाले उनके सखा हैं; अत: ये किसको प्रिय नहीं लगेंगे? ।। कारणस्य तु दौर्बल्याच्चिन्तयामि महामुने । अस्य देहकरस्तात मम पुत्रो महाद्युते,परंतु माननीय महामुने! कारणकी दुर्बलतासे मैं चिन्तामें पड़ा रहता हूँ। महाद्युते! इस बालकका पिता, जो मेरा पुत्र था, गरुड़का भोजन बन गया। इस दुःखसे हमलोग पीड़ित हैं। प्रभो! जब गरुड़ यहाँसे जाने लगे, तब पुनः यह कहते गये कि दूसरे महीनेमें मैं सुमुखको भी खा जाऊँगा। अवश्य ही ऐसा ही होगा; क्योंकि हम गरुड़के निश्चयको जानते हैं। गरुड़के उस कथनसे मेरी हँसी-खुशी नष्ट हो गयी है

Transliteration

Mahārṣe! merī dṛṣṭi meṃ āpake isa vacana kā kama ādara nahīṃ hai, aura ye Mātali to Indra ke sātha rahane-vāle unake sakhā haiṃ; ataḥ ye kisako priya nahīṃ lageṃge? || kāraṇasya tu daurbalyāc cintayāmi mahāmune | asya deha-karaḥ tāta mama putro mahādyute |

Translation

आर्यक उवाच—महामुने! नाहं तव वचनस्य किञ्चिदपि अवमानं करोमि। अयं च मातलिः शक्रसहचरः शक्रसमीपवासी सखा; तस्मात् कस्य न प्रियः स्यात्? किन्तु महामुने, कारणस्य दौर्बल्यादहं चिन्ताकुलोऽस्मि। महाद्युते! अस्य बालकस्य पिता मम पुत्रः सुपर्णेन गरुडेन भक्षितः; तेन शोकदुःखेन वयं पीडिताः। प्रभो! यदा गरुडोऽस्मात् स्थानात् प्रस्थितः, तदा पुनरिदमब्रवीत्—‘द्वितीये मासे सुमुखमपि भक्षयिष्यामि’ इति। ध्रुवमेव तत् भविष्यति, वयं हि गरुडस्य निश्चयं जानीमः। तस्य सुपर्णवचनात् मम हर्षहास्यं विनष्टम्।

Word by Word

कारणस्यof the cause/reason

तुbut/indeed

दौर्बल्यात्due to weakness

चिन्तयामिI think/ponder; I worry

महामुनेO great sage

अस्यof this (one)

देहकरःthe begetter/father (lit. body-maker)

तातO dear one / O son

ममof me / my

पुत्रःson

महाद्युतेO greatly radiant one

Speaker

आर्यक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Āryaka

Mātali

Indra

Garuḍa

Sumukha

Mahārṣi/Mahāmune (addressed sage)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when divine help and respected counsel are present, a person may still be bound by grief and fear if the practical means (kāraṇa) seem weak. The passage highlights the ethical tension between honoring wise guidance and confronting harsh realities—showing how sorrow can eclipse joy and cloud confidence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Āryaka acknowledges the sage’s words and praises Mātali as Indra’s close companion, hence worthy of affection. However, he confesses deep anxiety: Garuḍa has already devoured Āryaka’s son (the boy’s father) and has declared he will return in the next month to eat Sumukha as well. Knowing Garuḍa’s firm resolve, Āryaka’s happiness is shattered.