Shloka 9

Bhīma’s Entry into Kubera’s Nalinī and the Taking of Saugandhika Lotuses (सौगन्धिकोत्पल-ग्रहणम्)

Devanagari script

भ्रातृत्वं त्वं पुरस्कृत्य वरं वरय भारत । यदि तावन्मया क्षुद्रा गत्वा वारणसाह्नयम्‌,“भारत! तुम मुझे अपना बड़ा भाई समझकर कोई वर माँगो। यदि तुम्हारी इच्छा हो कि मैं हस्तिनापुरमें जाकर तुच्छ धृतराष्ट्र-पुत्रोंकी मार डालूँ तो मैं यह भी कर सकता हूँ अथवा यदि तुम चाहो कि मैं पत्थरोंकी वर्षासे सारे नगरको रौंदकर धूलमें मिला दूँ अथवा दुर्योधनको बाँधकर अभी तुम्हारे पास ला दूँ तो यह भी कर सकता हूँ। महाबली वीर! तुम्हारी जो इच्छा हो, वही पूर्ण कर दूँगा"

Transliteration

bhrātṛtvaṃ tvaṃ puraskṛtya varaṃ varaya bhārata | yadi tāvanmayā kṣudrā gatvā vāraṇasāhnayam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O Bhārata, placing our brotherhood in the forefront, choose a boon. If you wish, I can go at once to Vāraṇasāhṇaya and strike down those petty sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra; or, if you desire, I can crush the entire city into dust with a storm of stones; or I can bind Duryodhana and bring him here immediately. Mighty hero—whatever you will, that I shall accomplish.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'bhrātṛtvam', 'definition': 'brotherhood

• the bond/duty of brothers'}, {'term': 'puraskṛtya', 'definition': 'placing in front

• foregrounding'}, {'term': 'varam', 'definition': 'a boon

• a chosen gift/favor'}, {'term': 'varaya', 'definition': 'choose

• ask for'}, {'term': 'bhārata', 'definition': 'O descendant of Bharata

• a form of address to a Kuru/Pāṇḍava'}, {'term': 'yadi', 'definition': 'if'}, {'term': 'tāvat', 'definition': 'at once

• immediately (contextual)'}, {'term': 'mayā', 'definition': 'by me

• through me'}, {'term': 'kṣudrāḥ', 'definition': 'petty, mean, contemptible (here: as an epithet for opponents)'}, {'term': 'gatvā', 'definition': 'having gone

• going'}, {'term': 'Dhṛtarāṣṭra-putrāḥ', 'definition': 'sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra

• the Kauravas'}, {'term': 'Duryodhana', 'definition': 'the eldest Kaurava

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhārata (addressee, a Kuru/Pāṇḍava)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra-putras (Kauravas)
• Duryodhana
• Vāraṇasāhṇaya (place)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ethical tension between capability and restraint: immense power is offered in the name of brotherly duty, but the moral burden lies in choosing a boon that aligns with dharma rather than impulsive vengeance or indiscriminate destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

A powerful ally, speaking through Vaiśampāyana’s narration, urges the addressed Bhārata to ask for any boon on the basis of brotherhood, even offering extreme actions—killing the Kauravas, devastating a city, or capturing Duryodhana and delivering him immediately.