Mahabharata 3.39.18 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 18

Arjuna’s Himalayan Departure and the Commencement of Severe Tapas

Janamejaya’s Inquiry; Sages Approach Śiva

Devanagari script

तमब्रवीत्‌ प्रीतमना: कौन्तेय: प्रहसन्निव । को भवानटते शून्ये वने स्त्रीगणसंवृत:

Transliteration

tam abravīt prītamanāḥ kaunteyaḥ prahasann iva | ko bhavān aṭate śūnye vane strīgaṇasaṃvṛtaḥ ||

Translation

Da sprach der Sohn der Kuntī, frohen Sinnes und wie lächelnd, zu ihm: „Wer bist du, der du in diesem öden Wald umherstreifst, von einer Schar Frauen umgeben?“

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्रीतमना: having a pleased mind
• प्रीतमना: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीतमन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कौन्तेय: son of Kunti (Arjuna)
• कौन्तेय: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रहसन्: laughing
• प्रहसन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हस्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अटते: wanders/roams
• Type: Verb
• Root: अट्
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

• शून्ये: in a deserted/empty
• शून्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शून्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

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

• स्त्रीगणसंवृतः: surrounded by a group of women
• स्त्रीगणसंवृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्त्रीगणसंवृत
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) from सम्-√वृ (वृ/वृञ्) 'to cover/surround', Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna (Kaunteya)
• Unnamed man (addressed as bhavān)
• Group of women (strīgaṇa)
• Forest (vana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights proper inquiry and discernment: when something appears unusual in a dharmic setting (a solitary forest), one should ask respectfully and clearly to understand identity and intention, rather than react rashly.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna (Kaunteya), noticing an unfamiliar person in the lonely forest accompanied by women, speaks with a light, confident smile and asks who he is and why he is roaming there.