Mahabharata 3.39.67 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 67

Arjuna’s Himalayan Departure and the Commencement of Severe Tapas

Janamejaya’s Inquiry; Sages Approach Śiva

Devanagari script

पपात पादयोस्तस्य ततः प्रीतो5भवद्‌ भव: । उवाच चैनं वचसा मेघगम्भीरगीर्हर: । जातविस्मयमालोक्य तप:ःक्षीणाड्रसंहतिम्‌

Transliteration

papāta pādayos tasya tataḥ prīto ’bhavad bhavaḥ | uvāca cainaṃ vacasā meghagambhīragīr haraḥ |

Translation

Er fiel ihm zu Füßen; da wurde Bhava (Śiva) zufrieden. Und Hara, dessen Stimme tief war wie donnernde Wolken, redete zu ihm—da er ihn staunend erblickte und seinen Leib, durch Askese ausgedörrt und abgemagert.

Word by Word

• पपात: fell
• पपात: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (पतति)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), 3, singular, परस्मैपद

• पादयोः: at (the) two feet
• पादयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद
• Form: masculine, locative, dual

• तस्य: of him
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• प्रीतः: pleased
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत (√प्री)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अभवत्: became/was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (भवति)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), 3, singular, परस्मैपद

• भवः: Bhava (Śiva)
• भवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (वक्ति)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), 3, singular, परस्मैपद

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

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (एनद्-प्रयोग)
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• वचसा: with (his) speech/words
• वचसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस्
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• मेघगम्भीरगीः: whose voice was deep like a cloud
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेघगम्भीरगीर्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

किरयात उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhava (Śiva)
• Hara (Śiva)
• the ascetic/prostrating figure (addressed as 'enam')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Austerity and humility culminate in divine grace: sincere tapas that purifies the seeker, combined with reverent surrender (falling at the deity’s feet), draws the compassionate response of the Lord who removes sin and grants guidance.

What is happening in the narrative?

The devotee/ascetic, astonished and physically worn down by severe austerities, prostrates at Śiva’s feet. Śiva—called Bhava and Hara—becomes pleased and speaks to him in a deep, cloud-like voice, signaling acceptance and the beginning of a divine instruction or boon.