Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 50

मातङ्ग–शक्रसंवादः

Mataṅga–Śakra Dialogue on Tapas, Status, and Moral Qualities

Devanagari script

उपासते यथा बाला मातर क्षुधयार्दिता: । श्रेयस्कामास्तथा गड़ामुपासन्तीह देहिन:

Transliteration

upāsate yathā bālā mātaraṁ kṣudhayārditāḥ | śreyaskāmās tathā gaḍāṁ upāsantīha dehinaḥ ||

Translation

悉达说道：“如饥饿的孩童为饥所迫，便投向其母；同样，此世具身之众生，若欲求真实安乐，便以礼敬供奉而归依Gaḍā。”

Word by Word

• उपासते: they worship/attend upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु)
• Form: Lat, Ātmanepada, 3, Plural

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• बालाः: children
• बालाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• क्षुधया: by hunger
• क्षुधया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुध् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• आर्दिताः: afflicted/tormented
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्दित (कृदन्त; आर्द्/अर्द् धातु से क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• श्रेयस्-कामाः: desiring welfare/the good
• श्रेयस्-कामाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेयस् + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: so/in the same way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• गदाम्: Gadā (the mace / the deity/person named Gadā, as object of worship)
• गदाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• उपासन्ति: they worship
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु)
• Form: Lat, Parasmaipada, 3, Plural

• इह: here/in this world
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• देहिनः: embodied beings
• देहिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

सिद्ध उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Siddha (speaker)
• Mother
• Children
• Gaḍā

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Those who seek śreyas (true and lasting welfare) naturally turn toward a trusted refuge; devotion is portrayed as an instinctive movement toward protection and nourishment, like a hungry child seeking its mother.

What is happening in the narrative?

A Siddha delivers an illustrative comparison: the way hunger drives children to their mother, the longing for well-being drives embodied beings to worship and seek support in Gaḍā within the world.