FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.39

युधिष्ठिर उवाच नाहं वेद गतिं पित्रोर्भगवन् क्‍व गतावित: । अम्बा वा हतपुत्रार्ता क्‍व गता च तपस्विनी ॥ ३९ ॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
[yudhishthira uvaacha]
nāhaṁ veda gatiṁ pitror
[naaham veda gatim pitror]
bhagavan kva gatāv itaḥ
[bhagavan kva gataav itah]
ambā vā hata-putrārtā
[ambaa vaa hata-putraartaa]
kva gatā ca tapasvinī
[kva gataa cha tapasvinee]
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca — Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira said na — do not aham — myself veda — know it gatim — departure pitroḥ — of the uncles bhagavan — O godly personality kva — where gatau — gone itaḥ — from this place ambā — mother-aunt vā — either hata-putrā — bereft of her sons ārtā — aggrieved kva — where gatā — gone ca — also tapasvinī — ascetic.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uvāca
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira said
nāhaṁ veda gatiṁ pitror
na
do not
aham
myself
veda
know it
gatim
departure
pitroḥ
of the uncles
bhagavan kva gatāv itaḥ
bhagavan
O godly personality
kva
where
gatau
gone
itaḥ
from this place
ambā vā hata-putrārtā
ambā
mother-aunt
vā
either
hata-putrā
bereft of her sons
ārtā
aggrieved
kva gatā ca tapasvinī
kva
where
gatā
gone
ca
also
tapasvinī
ascetic.
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira said: O godly personality, I do not know where my two uncles have gone. Nor can I find my ascetic aunt who is griefstricken by the loss of all her sons.

Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, as a good soul and devotee of the Lord, was always conscious of the great loss of his aunt and her sufferings as an ascetic. An ascetic is never disturbed by all kinds of sufferings, and that makes him strong and determined on the path of spiritual progress. Queen Gāndhārī is a typical example of an ascetic because of her marvelous character in many trying situations. She was an ideal woman as mother, wife and ascetic, and in the history of the world such character in a woman is rarely found.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O master! I do not know the destination of my uncles. Where did they go from there? Where did my austere aunt, grieving for her dead sons, go? You are like a pilot for crossing the ocean of grief; you can see the other side.” Then Lord Nārada the best of sages spoke.
Commentary

Apāre means “in the ocean of grief.” Since you are the Lord, you know everything. Please tell me.

Yudhiṣṭhira: O godly personality, I do not know where my uncles have gone, nor can I find my ascetic aunt. The honest leader asks the wise after his own family. No king is above seeking help.
Reflection Questions
  • What family question would I ask a true sage if one appeared?
  • Where am I refusing to seek help because of my role?
📝 My note

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