Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 18

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 33 — Kuru Cattle-Raid and Matsya Mobilization (भूमिंजय-प्रेरणा)

Devanagari script

मा भीम साहसं कार्षीस्तिष्ठत्वेष वनस्पति: । मा त्वां वृक्षेण कर्माणि कुर्वाणमतिमानुषम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | mā bhīma sāhasaṁ kārṣīs tiṣṭhatveṣa vanaspatiḥ | mā tvāṁ vṛkṣeṇa karmāṇi kurvāṇam atimānuṣam |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Do not, Bhīma, commit this rash act; let this tree remain standing. If you perform this superhuman deed with a tree as your weapon, people will recognize you as Bhīma. Therefore, O Bhārata, take up some other weapon that is fitting for an ordinary man.”

Word by Word

• {'mā': 'do not (prohibitive particle)', 'bhīma': 'Bhīma (addressed in vocative)', 'sāhasam': 'rashness, reckless daring', 'kārṣīḥ (kārṣīs)': 'you should do/make (2nd person singular, prohibitive context)', 'tiṣṭhatu': 'let it stand

• let it remain', 'eṣa': 'this', 'vanaspatiḥ': 'tree (lord of the forest

• a large tree)', 'vṛkṣeṇa': 'with a tree (instrumental)', 'karmāṇi': 'deeds, actions', 'kurvāṇam': 'doing, performing (present participle)', 'atimānuṣam': 'superhuman

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
• tree (vanaspati/vṛkṣa)
• Bhārata (epithet/address)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when one has extraordinary strength, dharma may require restraint and strategic discretion. Displaying superhuman prowess can endanger a larger duty—here, maintaining concealment—so one should choose means appropriate to the situation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Virāṭa episode, Bhīma is being cautioned not to uproot or wield a tree, because such an unmistakably superhuman act would reveal his identity. He is urged to use a more ordinary weapon so the Pandavas’ disguise remains intact.