Mahabharata 3.136.4 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 136, Shloka 4

Adhyāya 136: Yavakrī–Bharadvāja Saṃvāda and the Bāladhī–Dhanuṣākṣa Gāthā

Arrogance, Boons, and Nimitta

Devanagari script

एनं॑ पर्वतराजानमारुह्म भरतर्षभा: । अयशस्यामसंशब्द्यामलक्ष्मीं व्यपनोत्स्यथ

Transliteration

enaṁ parvatarājānam āruhya bharatarṣabhāḥ | ayaśasyām asaṁśabdyām alakṣmīṁ vyapanotsyatha ||

Translation

ഭരതശ്രേഷ്ഠന്മാരേ! ഈ പർവതരാജനെ आरोഹണം ചെയ്താൽ, അപയശം വിതറുന്ന, പേരുപോലും ഉച്ചരിക്കാനനർഹമായ, സമൃദ്ധിയറ്റ ആ അലക്ഷ്മിയെ നിങ്ങൾ शीഘ്രം അകറ്റും.

Word by Word

• एनम्: this (him/it)
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पर्वत-राजानम्: the king of mountains
• पर्वत-राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वतराज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आरुह्य: having ascended/climbed
• आरुह्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here), Non-finite

• भरत-ऋषभाः: O bulls among the Bharatas (best of the Bharatas)
• भरत-ऋषभाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरतऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अयशस्याम्: in disgrace/ill-fame
• अयशस्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयशस्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• असंशब्द्याम्: not to be named / unmentionable
• असंशब्द्याम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असंशब्द्य
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अलक्ष्मीम्: misfortune, lack of prosperity
• अलक्ष्मीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलक्ष्मी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• व्यपनोत्स्यथ: you all will drive away/remove
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-अप-नुद्
• Form: Lṛṭ (Simple Future), Parasmaipada, Second, Plural

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• bharatarṣabhāḥ (Bharata heroes/descendants)
• parvatarāja (king of mountains)
• Himālaya (implied by parvatarāja in context)
• Lakṣmī (implied via alakṣmī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links moral and social restoration to purposeful ascent and sacred striving: by undertaking a demanding, elevating act (climbing the ‘king of mountains’), one can cast off ‘alakṣmī’—inauspiciousness that manifests as disgrace and loss of honor—and regain auspicious standing.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker addresses the Bharata heroes, urging them to climb the great mountain (understood as the Himalaya). The ascent is presented as a means to dispel their present misfortune and the shame associated with it, implying a transition from adversity toward renewed prosperity and reputation.