Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

जना: समवबुध्येरन्‌ भीमो5यमिति भारत । अन्यदेवायुध॑ किंचित्‌ प्रतिपद्यस्व मानुषम्‌

Transliteration

janāḥ samavabudhyeran bhīmo ’yam iti bhārata | anyad evāyudhaṃ kiñcit pratipadyasva mānuṣam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O Bhārata, people would clearly recognize, ‘This is Bhīma.’ Therefore, take up some other weapon that is merely human. Do not attempt a superhuman feat—such as uprooting this great tree—for it would expose your identity and endanger the purpose of remaining concealed.”

Word by Word

• {'janāḥ': 'people, onlookers', 'samavabudhyeran': 'would fully understand/recognize (optative

• ‘would come to know clearly’)', 'bhīmaḥ ayam': 'this is Bhīma', 'iti': 'thus, as (quotative particle)', 'bhārata': 'O Bhārata (address

• descendant of Bharata—here, to a Pāṇḍava)', 'anyat': 'another, different', 'eva': 'indeed, only, precisely', 'āyudham': 'weapon, implement of combat', 'kiñcit': 'some, any (indefinite)', 'pratipadyasva': 'take up, adopt, resort to (imperative, middle voice)', 'mānuṣam': 'human, within human capacity

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīma
• Bhārata (addressed person)
• āyudha (weapon)
• mahāvṛkṣa (great tree; implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even rightful strength should be governed by prudence: when a higher goal (protecting dharma through concealment and timing) is at stake, one should restrain extraordinary displays and choose means that do not compromise the mission.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito stay in Virāṭa’s realm, Bhīma is cautioned not to perform an unmistakably superhuman act (like uprooting a great tree), because onlookers would identify him; he is urged to use an ordinary, human-like weapon instead.