Mahabharata 3.312.4 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 312, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

दत्तरक्षाप्रतिसरामन्वालम्भनशो भनाम्‌ । ऊर्मीतरज्जैर्जाह्विव्या: समानीतामुपह्दरम्‌

Transliteration

dattarakṣāpratisarām anvālambhanaśobhanām | ūrmītarajjair jāhnavyāḥ samānītām upahradam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “The casket, secured with protective bindings and made beautiful by the fastening and adornment upon it, was driven along by the river Jāhnavī. Struck and tugged by the river’s waves like by ropes, it was carried close to the bank, toward the waterside.”

Word by Word

• दत्त: given, placed
• दत्त: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त, भूतकृत्/क्त)
• Form: नपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रक्षा: protection, guarding
• रक्षा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रतिसरम्: amulet, protective band
• प्रतिसरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अन्वालम्भन: tying on, fastening around
• अन्वालम्भन: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनु-आ-लम्भ् (धातु) → अन्वालम्भन (कृदन्त/भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शोभनाम्: beautiful, splendid
• शोभनाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ऊर्मि: waves
• ऊर्मि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तरज्जैः: by the surges/impulses (of waves)
• तरज्जैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरज्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• जाह्विव्याः: of Jāhnavī (the Ganges)
• जाह्विव्याः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाह्वि (गङ्गा) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• समानीताम्: brought near, carried (to)
• समानीताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-नी (धातु) → समानीत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उपह्रदम्: to the bank/near the shore (near a pool/river-edge)
• उपह्रदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपह्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• pīṭārikā (casket/box)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how protected things (and lives) may still be carried by forces beyond human control; it frames discovery and destiny through the image of the Gaṅgā’s waves, suggesting that outcomes unfold through a mix of human care (protection, bindings) and larger currents (fate/providence).

What is happening in the narrative?

A protected and adorned casket/box is being swept along by the Gaṅgā (Jāhnavī). The waves buffet it like ropes pulling it, and it is carried close to the bank, setting up its imminent finding or encounter on the shore.