Mahabharata 3.39.8 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 8

Arjuna’s Himalayan Departure and the Commencement of Severe Tapas

Janamejaya’s Inquiry; Sages Approach Śiva

Devanagari script

वाराहं रूपमास्थाय तर्कयन्तमिवार्जुनम्‌ । हन्तुं परं दीप्पमानं तमुवाचाथ फाल्गुन:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

vārāhaṃ rūpam āsthāya tarkayantam ivārjunam |

hantuṃ paraṃ dīpyamānaṃ tam uvācātha phālgunaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana disse: “Assumindo a forma de um javali, aquele ser ardia em energia feroz, como se tramasse como matar Arjuna. Então Phālguna (Arjuna) dirigiu-se a ele, enfrentando a ameaça de modo direto.”

Word by Word

• वाराहम्: boar-form
• वाराहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• तर्कयन्तम्: thinking/pondering
• तर्कयन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: तर्कय् (धातु: तर्कय्/तर्क् caus.)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अर्जुनम्: Arjuna
• अर्जुनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), Parasmaipada, Non-finite

• परम्: supreme/very (intensifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दीप्यमानम्: shining/blazing
• Type: Verb
• Root: दीप्
• Form: शानच् (present middle participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तम्: him/that one
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• फाल्गुनः: Phalguna (Arjuna)
• फाल्गुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल्गुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna (Phālguna)
• Varāha (boar form)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic alertness: when confronted by a hostile force using disguise and violent intent, a righteous warrior must recognize the threat, remain composed, and respond in a manner consistent with duty rather than fear or confusion.

What is happening in the narrative?

A powerful being in the guise of a boar appears to be devising a way to kill Arjuna. Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna (Phālguna) then speaks to this adversary, initiating the confrontation.