Mahabharata 3.147.67 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 147, Shloka 67

Bhīmasena–Hanūmān Saṃvāda: The Tail Test and the Divine Path

Devanagari script

आस्त एकाय-ने मार्गे कदलीषण्डमण्डिते | भ्रातुर्भीमस्य रक्षार्थ त॑ं मार्गमवरुध्य वै

Transliteration

āsta ekāyane mārge kadalīṣaṇḍamaṇḍite | bhrātur bhīmasya rakṣārthaṃ taṃ mārgam avarudhya vai ||

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: تمركز هانومان على الطريق الضيّق ذي المسلك الواحد—المزيَّن بأجماتٍ كثيفة من شجر الموز—وتعمّد أن يسدّه حمايةً لأخيه بِهيما. وبواجب الأخوّة وبُعد النظر، كبح بِهيما عن المضيّ في الطريق الصاعد، لئلا يتقدّم غير مستعدٍّ نحو السبيل الأعلى.

Word by Word

• आस्ते: sits/was seated
• आस्ते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• एकायने: on the one-way/sole (path)
• एकायने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• मार्गे: on the path
• मार्गे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• कदलीषण्डमण्डिते: adorned with a clump/grove of banana trees
• कदलीषण्डमण्डिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कदलीषण्डमण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• भ्रातुः: of (his) brother
• भ्रातुः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• भीमस्य: of Bhima
• भीमस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• रक्षार्थम्: for the protection (purpose)
• रक्षार्थम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन, अर्थे (purpose)

• तम्: that (path)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मार्गम्: path
• मार्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अवरुध्य: having blocked
• अवरुध्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-रुध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (ल्यप्/त्वा), परस्मैपद-भाव, having blocked/obstructed

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
• Hanumān
• mārga (the path/route)
• kadalīṣaṇḍa (banana groves)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic restraint and protective responsibility: true strength is guided by discernment, and an elder (or superior) may block a course of action to prevent harm and to ensure readiness, especially when motivated by duty and care rather than dominance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Hanumān sits on and blocks a narrow, banana-grove-lined path in order to protect his brother Bhīma, preventing him from proceeding along that route and setting the stage for Bhīma’s encounter and instruction.