Mahabharata — Ashramavasika Parva, Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तवत्यां गान्धार्या कुन्ती व्रतकृशानना

Transliteration

ity uktavatyāṃ gāndhāryā kuntī vratakṛśānanā

Translation

Khi Gandhārī nói như vậy xong, Kuntī—gương mặt gầy đi vì giới hạnh và khổ hạnh—(đáp lại/hiện diện), trong cảnh mà nỗi bi thương được tiết chế bởi kỷ luật, và sức nặng của nghiệp xưa được gánh chịu trong im lặng cùng lời nguyện.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• उक्तवत्याम्: when (she) had spoken
• उक्तवत्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उक्तवत् (स्त्री. उक्तवती)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• गान्धार्याः: of Gandhari
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान्धारी
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

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

• व्रतकृशानना: whose face was emaciated by vows/fasts
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रतकृशानना
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Gandhārī
• Kuntī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical ideal of bearing suffering with disciplined restraint: after Gandhārī’s words, Kuntī is characterized not by argument or power but by austerity (vrata) that has physically transformed her, suggesting inner resolve and acceptance of karmic and dharmic consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates a transition: Gandhārī has just finished speaking, and attention shifts to Kuntī, described as emaciated from vows and ascetic practice—setting up Kuntī’s reaction within the forest-ascetic context of the Ashramavāsika episode.