Shloka 78

Bhīmasena–Hanūmān Saṃvāda: The Tail Test and the Divine Path

Devanagari script

किंचिच्चाभुग्नशीर्षेण दीर्घरोमाज्चितेन च | लाडूलेनोर्ध्वगतिना ध्वजेनेव विराजितम्‌,उनक कंधे चौड़े और पुष्ट थे। अतः उन्होंने बाँहके मूलभागको तकिया बनाकर उसीपर अपनी मोटी और छोटी ग्रीवाको रख छोड़ा था और उनके शरीरका मध्यभाग एवं कटिप्रदेश पतला था। उनकी लंबी पूँछका अग्रभाग कुछ मुड़ा हुआ था। उसकी रोमावलि घनी थी तथा वह पूँछ ऊपरकी ओर उठकर फहराती हुई ध्वजा-सी सुशोभित होती थी

Transliteration

kiṃcic cābhugnaśīrṣeṇa dīrgharomāj citena ca | lāḍūlenordhvagatinā dhvajeneva virājitam |

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Its head was slightly bent; its coat was long and thick. And with its tail raised upward, it shone like a banner—standing out in form and bearing.”

Word by Word

किंचित्somewhat, a little

चand

अभुग्नशीर्षेणwith (its) head slightly bent

दीर्घरोमाज्चितेनwith long hair/fur (and) piled/covered (with it)

चand

लाडूलेनwith the tail-tip/tuft (lādūla)

ऊर्ध्वगतिनाhaving upward movement; raised upward

ध्वजेनwith a banner/flag

इवlike, as if

विराजितम्shining, adorned

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

dhvaja (banner/flag)

lāṅgūla (tail)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse is primarily descriptive rather than didactic: it uses vivid physical imagery (a tail raised like a banner) to mark a being’s distinctive presence, a common epic technique to signal significance and draw attention to an encounter that carries narrative or moral weight.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana is describing a creature/person’s appearance—its slightly bent head, dense long hair, and an upraised tail compared to a flag—setting the scene and highlighting identifying features before or during an important episode.