Mahabharata (Gita Press) 3.39.5 - Vana Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 5

Arjuna’s Himalayan Departure and the Commencement of Severe Tapas

Janamejaya’s Inquiry; Sages Approach Śiva

Devanagari script

किरातवेषसंच्छन्न: स्त्रीभिश्वापि सहस्रश: । अशोभत तदा राजन्‌ स देशोडतीव भारत

Transliteration

kirātaveṣasaṃchannaḥ strībhiś cāpi sahasraśaḥ | aśobhata tadā rājan sa deśo ’tīvabhārata ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O König, damals erstrahlte der ruhmreiche Herr (Śiva), verborgen in der Verkleidung eines Kirāta—umringt von Tausenden von Frauen. Und, o Nachkomme Bharatas, jene ganze Gegend wurde durch das Schreiten und die Gegenwart dieses Gefolges überaus schön.“

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Word by Word

• किरातवेषसंच्छन्नः: hidden/covered in Kirāta attire
• किरातवेषसंच्छन्नः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किरात-वेष-संछन्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्त्रीभिः: by/with women
• स्त्रीभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• सहस्रशः: by thousands; in thousands
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस्

• अशोभत: shone; was splendid
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सः: that/he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• देशः: region; place
• देशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अतीव: exceedingly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव

• भारत: O Bhārata (descendant of Bharata)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Śiva (implied as the illustrious one in Kirāta guise)
• Kirāta (guise)
• women (striyaḥ)
• Bhārata (address to the king/descendant of Bharata)
• the region/place (deśaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a recurring Mahābhārata motif: the divine may appear in humble or unexpected forms. Ethical discernment and reverence should not depend solely on outward appearance; true greatness can be concealed beneath a disguise.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a scene where Śiva, hidden in the attire of a Kirāta (hunter), moves through the area surrounded by a vast retinue of women, making the entire region appear splendid and animated.