Mahabharata (Gita Press) 3.39.2 - Vana Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 2

Arjuna’s Himalayan Departure and the Commencement of Severe Tapas

Janamejaya’s Inquiry; Sages Approach Śiva

Devanagari script

कैरातं वेषमास्थाय काठ्चनद्रुमसंनिभम्‌ । विभ्राजमानो विपुलो गिरिमेंरुरिवापर:

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca—kairātaṁ veṣam āsthāya kāñcanadruma-sannibham | vibhrājamāno vipulo giri-merur ivāparaḥ ||

Translation

किरातवेष धारण करून, सुवर्णमय वृक्षासारखे, ते दिव्य कांतीने झळकत होते—विशाल, जणू दुसरे मेरुपर्वतच.

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Word by Word

• कैरातम्: Kirāta (hunter) (as)
• कैरातम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कैरात
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वेषम्: guise, dress
• वेषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थाय: having assumed/taken up
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (आ-स्था)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• काञ्चनद्रुमसंनिभम्: like a golden tree
• काञ्चनद्रुमसंनिभम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन-द्रुम-संनिभ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विभ्राजमानः: shining, resplendent
• विभ्राजमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विभ्राज्
• Form: शानच् (present participle), Ātmanepada, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विपुलः: vast, huge
• विपुलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गिरिमेरुः: Mount Meru
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि-मेरु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अपरः: another, second
• अपरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Pināka (Śiva’s bow)
• Kirāta (hunter guise)
• Mount Meru
• tapasvins/maharṣis (ascetic sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that the divine can assume ordinary or unexpected forms to accomplish righteous purposes; outward appearance may conceal supreme power, and true dharma-discernment requires humility and reverence beyond externals.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the sages leave, Śiva appears on the scene in the guise of a Kirāta (mountain hunter), yet he is described as dazzling like a golden tree and immense like another Mount Meru—signaling a concealed theophany that will shape the ensuing events.