Mahabharata (Gita Press) 3.39.71 - Vana Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 71

Arjuna’s Himalayan Departure and the Commencement of Severe Tapas

Janamejaya’s Inquiry; Sages Approach Śiva

Devanagari script

प्रीत्या च ते5हं दास्यामि यदस्त्रमनिवारितम्‌ । त्वं हि शक्तो मदीयं तदस्त्रं धारयितुं क्षणात्‌

Transliteration

prītyā ca te 'haṁ dāsyāmi yad astram anivāritam | tvaṁ hi śakto madīyaṁ tad astraṁ dhārayituṁ kṣaṇāt ||

Translation

నీపై ఉన్న స్నేహంతో నేను నీకు ఆ అప్రతిహతమైన ఆయుధాన్ని ప్రసాదిస్తాను; దాని గమనాన్ని ఎవరూ ఆపలేరు. ఎందుకంటే నీవు క్షణమాత్రంలోనే నా ఆ ఆయుధాన్ని ధరించి ప్రయోగించగల సమర్థుడవు.

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Word by Word

• प्रीत्या: with affection
• प्रीत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• दास्यामि: will give
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अस्त्रम्: weapon
• अस्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनिवारितम्: unrestrained / not to be checked
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-वारय् (वारणे) + अ- (निषेध)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, kta (past passive participle)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• शक्तः: able
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मदीयम्: my
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदीय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्: that
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अस्त्रम्: weapon
• अस्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धारयितुम्: to bear / to wield
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धारणे)
• Form: tumun (infinitive), Parasmaipada (usage)

• क्षणात्: in a moment / within an instant
• क्षणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

Speaker

भव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhava (Śiva)
• astra (divine weapon)
• Pāśupatāstra (implied by context: Śiva’s weapon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Irresistible power is granted only with discernment: divine weapons symbolize authority that must be entrusted to one who has demonstrated discipline, devotion, and the capacity to restrain force within dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhava (Śiva) declares that, pleased by the hero’s devotion and worthiness, he will bestow an unstoppable divine weapon and affirms that the recipient is immediately capable of bearing and wielding it.