Mahabharata 7.151.31 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 151, Shloka 31

अलायुधस्य भीमवधसंकल्पः

Alāyudha’s Resolve to Confront Bhīma

Devanagari script

अपि देवा न जानन्ति गुह्माद्यं जगत्पतिम्‌

Transliteration

api devā na jānanti guhyādyaṃ jagatpatim

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Bahkan para dewa pun tidak sepenuhnya memahami Tuhan Penguasa alam, kerana hakikat-Nya yang sebenar tersembunyi dan amat mendalam.

Word by Word

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

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• जानन्ति: know
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• गुह्माद्यम्: the primeval/first (one), beginning from the hidden (i.e., mysterious/secret origin)
• गुह्माद्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्माद्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जगत्पतिम्: the lord of the world
• जगत्पतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्पति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• devāḥ (the gods)
• jagatpati (Lord of the world)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes epistemic humility: the Supreme Lord (jagatpati) is so subtle and concealed in essence that even divine beings cannot fully grasp Him. This supports an ethical stance of reverence, restraint in claims of certainty, and reliance on devotion and right conduct rather than pride in knowledge.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Drona Parva’s war narration, Sañjaya reports events and reflections to Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Here he underscores the inscrutability and supremacy of the world’s Lord—implying that the unfolding outcomes of the battle and fate are ultimately governed by a power beyond ordinary (even celestial) comprehension.