Shloka 67

Bhīmasena–Hanūmān Saṃvāda: The Tail Test and the Divine Path

Devanagari script

आस्त एकाय-ने मार्गे कदलीषण्डमण्डिते | भ्रातुर्भीमस्य रक्षार्थ त॑ं मार्गमवरुध्य वै,तब उन्होंने भीमसेनके हितके लिये स्वर्गकी ओर जानेवाला मार्ग रोक दिया। हनुमानजीने यह सोचकर कि भीमसेन इसी मार्गसे स्वर्गलोककी ओर न चले जायेँ, एक मनुष्यके आने-जाने योग्य उस संकुचित मार्गपर बैठ गये। वह मार्ग केलेके वृक्षोंसे घिरा होनेके कारण बड़ी शोभा पा रहा था। उन्होंने अपने भाई भीमकी रक्षाके लिये ही यह राह रोकी थी

Transliteration

āsta ekāyane mārge kadalīṣaṇḍamaṇḍite | bhrātur bhīmasya rakṣārthaṃ taṃ mārgam avarudhya vai ||

Translation

Disse Vaiśampāyana: Hanumān postou-se no estreito caminho de trilha única—embelezado por densos bosques de bananeiras—e deliberadamente o bloqueou para a proteção de seu irmão Bhīma. Por dever fraterno e prudência, conteve Bhīma de prosseguir pela via ascendente, para que não avançasse despreparado rumo ao caminho mais elevado.

Word by Word

आस्तेsits/was seated

एकायनेon the one-way/sole (path)

मार्गेon the path

कदलीषण्डमण्डितेadorned with a clump/grove of banana trees

भ्रातुःof (his) brother

भीमस्यof Bhima

रक्षार्थम्for the protection (purpose)

तम्that (path)

मार्गम्path

अवरुध्यhaving blocked

वैindeed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Bhīma (Bhīmasena)

Hanumān

mārga (the path/route)

kadalīṣaṇḍa (banana groves)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic restraint and protective responsibility: true strength is guided by discernment, and an elder (or superior) may block a course of action to prevent harm and to ensure readiness, especially when motivated by duty and care rather than dominance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Hanumān sits on and blocks a narrow, banana-grove-lined path in order to protect his brother Bhīma, preventing him from proceeding along that route and setting the stage for Bhīma’s encounter and instruction.