Shloka 37

उद्योगपर्व (अध्याय १२९) — केशवस्य वैभवप्रदर्शनम् / Krishna’s Theophanic Display in the Kuru Assembly

Devanagari script

यो न शक्यो बलात्‌ कर्तु देवैरपि सवासवै: । त॑ त्वं प्रार्थयसे मन्द बालबश्रन्द्रमसं यथा

Transliteration

yo na śakyo balāt kartuṁ devair api savāsavaiḥ | taṁ tvaṁ prārthayase manda bālaś candramasaṁ yathā |

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「愚か者よ。インドラを含む神々でさえ力ずくでは屈服させられぬ御方を、お前は捕らえて縛ろうというのか。お前の企ては、子どもが月をつかもうとするほど空しい。」

Word by Word

• यः: whom/which
• यः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• शक्यः: possible/able (to be done)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √शक्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• कर्तुम्: to do/make
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• स: together with
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; तद्-श्रृंखला)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• वासवैः: with the Vasus / with Indra’s (followers)
• वासवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तम्: him/that one
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• प्रार्थयसे: you seek/you request/you desire
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: Present, Second, Singular, Atmanepada

• मन्द: O dull-witted one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• बालः: a child
• बालः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चन्द्रम्: the moon
• चन्द्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अंसम्: the shoulder/upper arm
• अंसम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: as/just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Devas (the gods)
• Vāsava (Indra)
• Candramas (the Moon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse condemns reckless arrogance: attempting to overpower what is inherently unconquerable is not courage but delusion. Ethical strength includes recognizing limits, heeding wise counsel, and avoiding actions driven by pride that lead to ruin.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates a sharp rebuke: the addressee is warned that trying to capture or subjugate certain formidable persons is impossible—even the gods with Indra cannot do it—so the plan is compared to a child trying to seize the moon.