Mahabharata 16.8.34 — Mausala Parva, Adhyaya 8, Shloka 34

मौसलपर्व — अध्याय ८

Arjuna’s evacuation of Dvārakā, Vasudeva’s rites, and the caravan’s crisis

Devanagari script

स एव बलवान भूत्वा पुनर्भवति दुर्बल:

Transliteration

sa eva balavān bhūtvā punar bhavati durbalaḥ

Translation

まさにその者は、強くなったかと思えば、また弱くなる——世の権勢と活力がいかに無常で、容易に反転するかを示している。

Word by Word

• सः: he/that (person)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• बलवान्: strong/powerful
• बलवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूत्वा: having become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• भवति: becomes/is
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present, Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

• दुर्बलः: weak
• दुर्बलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्बल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• व्यास (Vyāsa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Strength and success are not permanent; the same person who rises to power can later fall into weakness. The verse underscores humility and vigilance, reminding one not to be intoxicated by temporary prosperity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa is making a reflective observation within the Mausala Parva’s somber context, emphasizing the reversal of fortunes that overtakes even the mighty—an ethical commentary aligned with the parva’s theme of decline after triumph.