Mahabharata 3.201.86 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 201, Shloka 86
Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)
सर्वे नानुगतं चैनं दारुणा: पिशिताशना: । घोररूपा महाकाया धर्षयन्ति द्विजोत्तमम्,भयंकर रूप और विशाल शरीरवाले, समस्त क्रूरकर्मा, मांसभक्षी राक्षस भी गायत्रीजपपरायण उस श्रेष्ठ द्विजपर आक्रमण नहीं कर सकते
sarve nānugataṃ cainaṃ dāruṇāḥ piśitāśanāḥ | ghorarūpā mahākāyā dharṣayanti dvijottamam ||
Semua rākṣasa yang buas, pemakan daging, berwujud mengerikan dan bertubuh raksasa, tidak mampu menyerang sang dwija utama yang teguh dalam japa Gāyatrī. Ketekunannya dalam laku suci menjadikannya tak tersentuh.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the protective power of dharmic discipline—especially mantra-japa and brahminical restraint—suggesting that inner spiritual force can neutralize external violence and keep even cruel beings from transgressing.
Yudhiṣṭhira describes a situation where terrifying, flesh-eating rākṣasas are present, yet they cannot successfully assail an eminent brāhmaṇa (described in the Gītā Press context as devoted to Gāyatrī-japa), indicating the brāhmaṇa’s spiritual inviolability.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.