Mahabharata 4.13.35 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 35

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 13 — Kīcaka’s Proposition and Draupadī’s Dharmic Refusal

Devanagari script

समुद्यम्य महाबाहुर्भ्रामयामास वीर्यवान्‌ । ततो मल्लाश्न मत्स्याश्न विस्मयं चक्रिरे परम्‌

Transliteration

samudyamya mahābāhur bhrāmayāmāsa vīryavān | tato mallāś ca matsyāś ca vismayaṃ cakrire param ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Le héros aux bras puissants le souleva et se mit à le faire tournoyer. À cette vue, les lutteurs comme le peuple du Matsya furent saisis d’un étonnement extrême.

Word by Word

• समुद्यम्य: having lifted/raised
• समुद्यम्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-यम् (धातु: यम्)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• महाबाहुः: the long-armed one
• महाबाहुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भ्रामयामास: caused (him/it) to whirl; began to whirl
• भ्रामयामास: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (periphrastic perfect: आमास), Perfect (narrative), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, णिच् (causative)

• वीर्यवान्: mighty, valorous
• वीर्यवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• मल्लाः: wrestlers
• मल्लाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल्ल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मत्स्याः: the Matsyas (people of Matsya)
• मत्स्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (जनाः/प्रजाः)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विस्मयम्: astonishment
• विस्मयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• चक्रिरे: they felt/made (experienced)
• चक्रिरे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, Perfect, 3rd, Plural, Ātmanepada

• परम्: great, extreme
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīmasena
• Jīmūta
• Mallāḥ (wrestlers)
• Matsyāḥ (people of Matsya)
• Matsya-deśa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights vīrya guided by skill: true power is not mere aggression but controlled strength and mastery that becomes evident to society. The astonishment of the crowd signals how exceptional capability, when displayed without cruelty for its own sake, earns recognition and can uphold one’s role (dharma) in a public setting.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the wrestling arena of Matsya, Bhīmasena overpowers his opponent Jīmūta by lifting him up and whirling him around. The wrestlers and the Matsya populace witness this feat and react with great amazement.