Mahabharata 4.20.7 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 20, Shloka 7

Bhīma–Draupadī Saṃvāda on Restraint, Protection, and the Kīcaka Threat

Virāṭa-parva, Adhyāya 20

Devanagari script

न देवस्यातिभारो<स्ति न चैवास्यातिवर्तनम्‌ | इति चाप्यागमं भूयो दैवस्य प्रतिपालये

Transliteration

na devasyātibhāro 'sti na caivāsyātivartanam | iti cāpyāgamaṃ bhūyo daivasya pratipālaye ||

Translation

قال فَيْشَمْبايَنَة: «إن للقدر (القضاء الإلهي) لا عبءَ يعظم عليه، ولا سبيل إلى مجاوزته أو خرقه. لذلك، إذ أستحضر مرةً أخرى ما تلقّته السنّة من تعليمٍ موروث، ألتزم وأُجِلّ سيادة ما قضته الأقدار.»

Word by Word

• {'na': 'not', 'devasya': 'of the god

• of the divine (here: of daiva, destiny/divine ordinance)', 'atibhāraḥ': 'excessive burden

• an unbearable load', 'asti': 'is

• exists', 'ca': 'and', 'eva': 'indeed

• just', 'asya': 'of it/this (referring to daiva/divine ordinance)', 'ativartanam': 'overstepping

• going beyond', 'iti': 'thus', 'api': 'also

• even', 'āgamam': 'authoritative tradition

• received teaching', 'bhūyaḥ': 'again

• once more', 'daivasya': 'of fate/destiny

• of the divine ordinance', 'pratipālaye': 'I follow

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Daiva (destiny/divine ordinance)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That the divine ordinance (daiva) is irresistible: nothing is too difficult for it, and it cannot be overstepped; therefore one should respect and align oneself with the authoritative tradition that affirms its supremacy.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, as narrator, articulates a reflection on the power of fate/divine dispensation, framing events as governed by daiva and indicating adherence to traditional/scriptural teaching about its primacy.