Mahabharata 3.39.16 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 16

Arjuna’s Himalayan Departure and the Commencement of Severe Tapas

Janamejaya’s Inquiry; Sages Approach Śiva

Devanagari script

स विद्धो बहुभिर्बाणैर्दीप्तास्यै: पन्नगैरिव । ममार राक्षसं रूप॑ भूय: कृत्वा विभीषणम्‌

Transliteration

sa viddho bahubhir bāṇair dīptāsyaiḥ pannagair iva | mamāra rākṣasaṃ rūpaṃ bhūyaḥ kṛtvā vibhīṣaṇam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Von vielen Pfeilen getroffen, wie eine Schlange mit flammendem Rachen, stürzte der Dämon — erneut die schreckliche Gestalt eines Rākṣasa annehmend — zu Boden und starb.“

Word by Word

• सः: he/that one
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विद्धः: pierced/wounded
• विद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद् (धातु) → विद्ध (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• बाणैः: by arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• दीप्तास्यैः: by those having blazing mouths
• दीप्तास्यैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्तास्य (प्रातिपदिक; दीप्त + आस्य)
• Form: पुं, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• पन्नगैः: by serpents
• पन्नगैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• इव: like/as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• ममार: died
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन

• राक्षसम्: demonic
• राक्षसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रूपम्: form/shape
• रूपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भूयः: again/further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय-प्रयोग)

• कृत्वा: having made/assuming
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive)

• विभीषणम्: terrifying/dreadful
• विभीषणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• rākṣasa (demon)
• bāṇa (arrows)
• pannaga (serpents)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral contrast between terrifying, aggressive power and the inevitable downfall that follows when such force is confronted by resolute, rightful opposition; fearsome appearances do not guarantee victory or endurance.

What is happening in the narrative?

A demon, pierced by many arrows, is compared to a blazing-mouthed serpent; after again manifesting a dreadful rākṣasa-form, he collapses and dies.