Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 16

Adhyāya 55: Pārtha–Rādheya Saṃvāda and Tactical Exchange

Chapter 55

Devanagari script

दैवारिपाच्च बीभत्सुस्तस्मिन्‌ दौर्योधने वने । भयमुत्पादयामास बलवानरिमर्दन:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | daivāripāc ca bībhatsus tasmin dauryodhane vane | bhayam utpādayāmāsa balavān arimardanaḥ ||

Translation

বৈশম্পায়ন ক’লে—দৈৱবশত, দুর্যোধন যেতিয়া বনত আছিল, তেতিয়া ভীভৎস, বলৱান শত্রুমর্দন অৰ্জুনে তাৰ আৰু তাৰ সেনাৰ মাজত ভয় উৎপন্ন কৰিলে। অস্ত্ৰৰ তেজ, ধনুৰ গর্জন, ধ্বজত বাস কৰা মানৱেতৰ ভূতসমূহৰ ভয়ংকৰ কোলাহল, বানৰ-চিহ্নৰ ভৈৰৱ গর্জন আৰু শঙ্খনাদে শত্রুৰ মান চূর্ণ কৰি সেনাত আতংক ছড়ালে।

Word by Word

• दैवात्: from fate; by chance
• दैवात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• अरिपात्: from the enemy's side/party
• अरिपात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिप
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• बीभत्सुः: Bībhatsu (Arjuna)
• बीभत्सुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीभत्सु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• दौर्योधने: in/with Duryodhana (i.e., regarding Duryodhana)
• दौर्योधने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दौर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उत्पादयामास: produced; caused to arise
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√पद्
• Form: Perfect (Periphrastic), 3rd, Singular

• बलवान्: mighty
• बलवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अरिमर्दनः: crusher of enemies
• अरिमर्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिमर्दन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna (Bībhatsu)
• Duryodhana
• forest (vana)
• bow (implied by bowstring twang)
• weapons (astra-śastra, implied by context)
• banner/standard (dhvaja, implied by context)
• non-human beings on the banner (mānavetara bhūta, implied by context)
• monkey emblem (vānaradhvaja/kapidhvaja, implied by context)
• conch (śaṅkha, implied by context)
• Duryodhana's army (senā, implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how daiva (fate) and personal prowess together shape outcomes: righteous strength, disciplined mastery of arms, and commanding symbols can break an aggressor’s arrogance without needless cruelty—showing that fear and pride are moral-psychological battlegrounds in dharmic conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the forest encounter, Arjuna (Bībhatsu) reveals overwhelming martial presence—through the brilliance of his weapons, the bow’s thunder, the terrifying sounds associated with his banner and monkey emblem, and the conch’s roar—thereby spreading fear through Duryodhana and his forces.