Mahabharata 3.37.12 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 37, Shloka 12

Vyāsa’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira: Pratismṛti-vidyā, Arjuna’s Aśtra-Quest, and the Move to Kāmyaka

Devanagari script

देवतानां यथाकाल प्रसादं प्रतिपालय । तपसा योजयात्मानमुग्रेण भरतर्षभ

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | devatānāṃ yathākālaṃ prasādaṃ pratipālaya | tapasā yojayātmānam ugreṇa bharatarṣabha | dhanuḥ-kavaca-khaḍga-dhārī sādhu-vrate sthitaḥ | maunāvalambana-pūrvaṃ na kasyacid ākramasya mārgaṃ dadan | uttarāṃ diśaṃ gaccha |

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „Zu den rechten Zeiten wahre und sichere die Gunst der Götter. O Stier unter den Bharatas, spanne dich vor strenge Askese. Mit Bogen, Panzer und Schwert, fest in einem heiligen Gelübde und vom Schweigen getragen, gewähre niemandem eine Öffnung zum Angriff; ziehe nach Norden.“

Word by Word

• देवतानाम्: of the gods (deities)
• देवतानाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• यथा: as; according to
• यथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• कालम्: time (at the proper time)
• कालम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रसादम्: favor; grace; satisfaction
• प्रसादम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिपालय: seek/maintain; duly attend to
• प्रतिपालय: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-पाल्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तपसा: by austerity; through penance
• तपसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• योजय: yoke; apply; engage
• योजय: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• आत्मानम्: yourself; the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उग्रेण: with fierce/ardent (austerity)
• उग्रेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas (best of Bharatas)
• भरतर्षभ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Devatāḥ (the gods)
• Bharata lineage (bharatarṣabha)
• Bow (dhanuḥ)
• Armor (kavaca)
• Sword (khaḍga)
• Northern direction (uttarā diś)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches disciplined dharma: seek divine favor through timely, proper observance; cultivate intense tapas and self-control; adopt vows such as silence; and move with vigilance so as not to invite conflict—spiritual practice joined with prudent conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira instructs the addressed Bharata hero to undertake an ascetic, vow-bound course of action: propitiate the gods at the right times, commit to severe austerities, travel north while armed and protected, keep silence, and avoid giving adversaries any chance to attack.