Shloka 38

Indrajit’s Binding, Restoration by Viśalyā, and Counsel Restraining Rāvaṇa (Āraṇyaka Parva 273)

Devanagari script

सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुष: स्वप्तुकामस्त्वतीन्द्रिय: । फटासहस्रविकटं शेषं पर्यड्कभाजनम्‌

Transliteration

sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ svaptukāmas tv atīndriyaḥ | phaṭāsahasravikaṭaṃ śeṣaṃ paryaḍkabhājanam ||

Translation

Bhīmasena dijo: «Aquel Ser trascendente, de mil cabezas, deseoso de dormir más allá del alcance de los sentidos, tiene por lecho y reposo al poderoso Śeṣa, terrible con sus mil capuchas.»

Word by Word

सहस्रशीर्षाhaving a thousand heads

पुरुषःthe Person (Puruṣa)

स्वप्तुकामःdesiring to sleep

तुbut/indeed

अतीन्द्रियःbeyond the senses

फटासहस्रविकटम्huge with a thousand hoods (serpent-hoods)

शेषम्Śeṣa (the serpent)

पर्यङ्कभाजनम्a couch/bed as a receptacle (i.e., serving as a bed)

Speaker

भीमसेन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīmasena

Puruṣa (cosmic Person / Supreme Being)

Śeṣa (Ananta, the serpent)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes the transcendence of the Supreme Person (atīndriya—beyond sensory grasp) and conveys divine sovereignty through cosmic imagery: even the vast Śeṣa with a thousand hoods serves as His couch, underscoring reverence and the smallness of worldly power before the divine.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīma describes a vision/description of the supreme cosmic Person resting, portraying Śeṣa (Ananta) as the immense serpent-bed. The statement functions as a devotional and awe-filled depiction of divine grandeur within the Vana Parva context.