Shloka 56

Devanagari script

उत्थाय च महाबाहु: पर्याश्वस्तो धनंजय: । बभ्रुवाहनमालिड्ग्य समाजिघ्रत मूर्थनि,महाबाहु अर्जुन भलीभाँति स्वस्थ होकर उठे और बभ्रुवाहनको हृदयसे लगाकर उसका मस्तक सूँघने लगे

Transliteration

utthāya ca mahābāhuḥ paryāśvasto dhanañjayaḥ | babhrūvāhanam āliṅgya samājighrata mūrdhani ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Then Dhanañjaya (Arjuna), the mighty-armed hero, rose up fully restored. Embracing Babhrūvāhana, he affectionately smelled his head—an intimate gesture of paternal recognition and reconciliation, affirming kinship and the restoration of harmony after conflict.

Word by Word

उत्थायhaving risen

चand

महाबाहुःthe mighty-armed (one)

पर्याश्वस्तःrecovered, composed, reassured

धनंजयःDhanañjaya (Arjuna)

बभ्रुवाहनम्Babhruvāhana

आलिङ्ग्यhaving embraced

समाजिघ्रत्he smelled (affectionately)

मूर्धनिon the head

Speaker

वैशमग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Arjuna (Dhanañjaya)

Babhrūvāhana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even after violent confrontation, dharma is fulfilled through restoration—recognizing kinship, showing compassion, and re-establishing social and familial harmony rather than clinging to resentment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna, now recovered and composed, rises and embraces Babhrūvāhana, then affectionately smells his head—signaling paternal affection, acceptance, and reconciliation.