Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 15

Adhyāya 62: Marutta’s Treasure and the Pāṇḍavas’ Auspicious Departure (मरुत्तस्य धनप्राप्त्युपक्रमः)

Devanagari script

तस्माच्छोकं कुरुश्रेष्ठ जहि त्वमरिकर्शन । विचार्यमत्र न हि ते सत्यमेतद्‌ भविष्यति

Transliteration

tasmāc chokaṃ kuruśreṣṭha jahi tvam arikarśana | vicāryam atra na hi te satyam etad bhaviṣyati ||

Translation

Kaya nga, O pinakamainam sa mga Kuru, O manlulupig ng mga kaaway, iwaksi mo ang dalamhati. Wala nang dapat pang pag-isipan dito; ang sinasabi ko’y tunay na mangyayari. Isisilang sa iyo ang isang apo na lubhang mapalad at dakila ang diwa; itataguyod niya ang buong daigdig—na ang hangganan ay ang dagat—ayon sa dharma. Kaya, itapon ang pagdadalamhati.

Word by Word

• {'tasmāt': 'therefore, for that reason', 'śokam': 'grief, sorrow', 'kuruśreṣṭha': 'O best among the Kurus (honorific address)', 'jahi': 'abandon, cast off

• (lit.) strike down', 'tvam': 'you', 'arikarśana': 'subduer of enemies, foe-crusher (epithet)', 'vicāryam': 'to be deliberated/considered', 'atra': 'here, in this matter', 'na': 'not', 'hi': 'indeed, surely', 'te': 'for you, by you', 'satyam': 'true, truth', 'etat': 'this', 'bhaviṣyati': 'will be, will come to pass'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kuruśreṣṭha (addressed person, a Kuru prince/king)
• Arikarśana (addressed person, foe-subduer)
• the future grandson (unnamed in this verse)
• the earth up to the ocean (samudra-paryantā pṛthivī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Grief should be relinquished when grounded assurance and dharmic purpose are present: the verse urges emotional steadiness and trust in a dharma-centered future, where rightful rule and moral governance restore order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana addresses a Kuru leader in sorrow, telling him to stop grieving because a great-grandson will be born who will rule the entire ocean-bounded earth according to dharma; the speaker affirms the certainty of this prediction.