Mahabharata 1.151.8 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 151, Shloka 8

बक-राक्षसस्य आह्वानम् तथा वृक्षयुद्धम्

Summons of Baka and the Tree-Weapon Engagement

Devanagari script

अगमच्च वनोद्देशमल्पमूलफलोदकम्‌ | क्र्रपक्षिम॒गं घोरं सायाह्ले भरतर्षभ

Transliteration

agamac ca vanoddeśam alpamūlaphalodakam | krūrapakṣimṛgaṃ ghoraṃ sāyāhle bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Toward evening, O bull among the Bharatas, they reached a fearful tract of forest where roots, fruits, and water were scarce, and where savage birds and predatory beasts dwelt.

Word by Word

• अगमत्: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), 3, Singular, परस्मैपद

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

• वन-उद्देशम्: a region/tract of forest
• वन-उद्देशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्देश (प्रातिपदिक) / वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अल्प-मूल-फल-उदकम्: having scant roots, fruits, and water
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक); अल्प/मूल/फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• क्रूर-पक्षि-मृगम्: where cruel birds and beasts are (abundant)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक); क्रूर/पक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• घोरम्: terrible, dreadful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• साय-अह्ले: in the evening time
• साय-अह्ले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अह्न/अह्ल (प्रातिपदिक); साय (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• भरत-ऋषभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक); भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bharatarṣabha (addressed listener, traditionally Janamejaya)
• vanoddeśa (forest tract)
• pakṣi (birds)
• mṛga (wild beasts)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how scarcity and danger test character: when basic supports (food, water, safety) are lacking, one’s steadiness, prudence, and commitment to right conduct become the true refuge.

What is happening in the narrative?

As evening approaches, the group being described arrives at a frightening forest region with little food and water, inhabited by fierce birds and wild beasts—setting a tense atmosphere of peril and deprivation.