Mahabharata 1.187.9 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 187, Shloka 9

Ādi-parva, Adhyāya 187: Drupada’s Inquiry and the Dharma Debate on Draupadī’s Marriage

Devanagari script

केचिदाहुर्युवा श्रीमानू नागराजकरोपम: । पीनस्कन्धोरुबाहुश्व धैर्येण हिमवानिव

Transliteration

ke cid āhur yuvā śrīmān ū nāgarāja-karopamaḥ | pīna-skandhoru-bāhuś ca dhairyeṇa himavān iva ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Some Brahmins remarked, “This handsome, illustrious youth appears as robust as the trunk of Airāvata, king of elephants. His shoulders are broad and well-knit, his arms long and powerful, and in steadfast courage (dhairya) he seems like the Himālaya itself.”

Word by Word

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक: किम्-सम्बन्धी सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• आहुः: said
• आहुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, बहुवचन

• युवा: a young man
• युवा: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्रीमान्: splendid, illustrious
• श्रीमान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नागरजकरोपमः: like the hand/trunk of the king of elephants
• नागरजकरोपमः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नागरज-कर-उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पीनस्कन्धः: having broad/robust shoulders
• पीनस्कन्धः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीन-स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उरुबाहुः: having large/strong arms
• उरुबाहुः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उरु-बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)

• धैर्येण: by/with steadfastness
• धैर्येण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धैर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, तृतीया, एकवचन

• हिमवान्: Himavat (the Himalaya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (निपात)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Brahmins
• Airāvata (Nāgarāja, king of elephants)
• Himavān (Himālaya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ideal of excellence: outward power and beauty are praised most when paired with inner steadiness (dhairya). The learned admire not mere strength, but strength anchored in self-control and courage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports how some Brahmins describe a remarkable young man, using grand similes—Airāvata’s mighty trunk and the immovable Himālaya—to convey his robust physique and unshakable fortitude.