Shloka 96

Bhīmasena–Hanūmān Saṃvāda: The Tail Test and the Divine Path

Devanagari script

भक्षयित्वा निवर्तस्व मा वृथा प्राप्स्यसे वधम्‌ । ग्राह्म॑ं यदि वचो महां हितं मनुजपुड्रव,मानवशिरोमणे! आज यहाँ सब प्रकारसे तुम्हारा स्वागत है। ये अमृतके समान मीठे फल-मूल खाकर यहींसे लौट जाओ, अन्यथा व्यर्थ ही तुम्हारे प्राण संकटमें पड़ जायाँगे। नरपुंगव! यदि मेरा कथन हितकर जान पड़े तो इसे अवश्य मानो

Transliteration

bhakṣayitvā nivartasva mā vṛthā prāpsyase vadham | grāhyaṃ yadi vaco mahān hitaṃ manuja-puṅgava mānava-śiromaṇe ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Eat these fruits and roots, and then turn back; do not meet death for no purpose. O best of men, crown-jewel among humans—if you judge my words to be truly beneficial, then accept them.”

Word by Word

• {'bhakṣayitvā': 'having eaten

• after eating', 'nivartasva': 'turn back

• return (imperative, 2nd person singular)', 'mā': 'do not (prohibitive particle)', 'vṛthā': 'in vain

• without purpose', 'prāpsyase': 'you will obtain/meet

• you will come to (future, 2nd person singular)', 'vadham': 'death

• killing', 'grāhyam': 'to be accepted

• worthy of acceptance', 'yadi': 'if', 'vacaḥ': 'speech

• counsel', 'mahān': 'great

• noble', 'hitam': 'beneficial

• conducive to welfare', 'manuja-puṅgava': 'bull among men

• best of men', 'mānava-śiromaṇi': 'crest-jewel of humans

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wise counsel urges restraint: accept beneficial advice, avoid needless risk, and do not pursue actions that lead to pointless death.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator reports a warning addressed to a heroic man: he is welcomed, offered fruits and roots to eat, and advised to turn back; otherwise he may face death without any real gain.