Mahabharata 3.39.8 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 8

Arjuna’s Himalayan Departure and the Commencement of Severe Tapas

Janamejaya’s Inquiry; Sages Approach Śiva

Devanagari script

वाराहं रूपमास्थाय तर्कयन्तमिवार्जुनम्‌ । हन्तुं परं दीप्पमानं तमुवाचाथ फाल्गुन:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

vārāhaṃ rūpam āsthāya tarkayantam ivārjunam |

hantuṃ paraṃ dīpyamānaṃ tam uvācātha phālgunaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Jenes Wesen nahm die Gestalt eines Ebers an und loderte vor wilder Kraft, als sinne es darauf, Arjuna zu töten. Da wandte sich Phālguna (Arjuna) an ihn und stellte sich der Gefahr unmittelbar.“

Word by Word

• वाराहम्: boar-form
• वाराहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थाय: having assumed/taken up
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु: स्था)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund), Non-finite

• तर्कयन्तम्: thinking/pondering
• तर्कयन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: तर्कय् (धातु: तर्कय्/तर्क् caus.)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• अर्जुनम्: Arjuna
• अर्जुनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), Parasmaipada, Non-finite

• परम्: supreme/very (intensifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दीप्यमानम्: shining/blazing
• Type: Verb
• Root: दीप्
• Form: शानच् (present middle participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• फाल्गुनः: Phalguna (Arjuna)
• फाल्गुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल्गुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna (Phālguna)
• Varāha (boar form)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic alertness: when confronted by a hostile force using disguise and violent intent, a righteous warrior must recognize the threat, remain composed, and respond in a manner consistent with duty rather than fear or confusion.

What is happening in the narrative?

A powerful being in the guise of a boar appears to be devising a way to kill Arjuna. Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna (Phālguna) then speaks to this adversary, initiating the confrontation.