Mahabharata 3.147.2 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 147, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

द्रौपदीका भीमसेनको सौगन्धिक पुष्प भेंट करके वैसे ही और पुष्प लानेका आग्रह ततः पूर्वोत्तरे वायु: प्लवमानो यदृच्छया । सहस्रपत्रमर्काभं दिव्यं पद्ममुपाहरत्‌

Transliteration

tataḥ pūrvottare vāyuḥ plavamāno yadṛcchayā | sahasrapatram arkābhaṃ divyaṃ padmam upāharat ||

Translation

پھر شمالِ مشرق کی سمت سے بہتی ہوئی ہوا نے اتفاقاً سورج کی مانند درخشاں، ہزار پنکھڑیوں والا ایک دیویہ کنول بہا کر وہاں لا رکھا۔

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• पूर्वोत्तरे: in the east-north (northeast) direction
• पूर्वोत्तरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्वोत्तर
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• वायुः: wind
• वायुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• प्लवमानः: moving/wafting along
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्लव्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), masculine, nominative, singular

• यदृच्छया: by chance, accidentally
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदृच्छा

• सहस्रपत्रम्: thousand-petalled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्रपत्र
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अर्काभम्: sun-like (in radiance)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्काभ
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• दिव्यम्: divine
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• पद्मम्: lotus
• पद्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• उपाहरत्: brought (and presented)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-हृ
• Form: imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Vāyu (wind)
• sahasrapatra padma (thousand-petalled lotus)
• northeast direction (īśāna/pūrvottara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse suggests that seemingly accidental events can become catalysts in a moral journey: desire and determination may be answered by the world, yet they also draw one onward into trials where restraint, courage, and discernment are tested.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the episode of seeking fragrant lotuses develops, a wind from the northeast unexpectedly brings a radiant, divine thousand-petalled lotus and drops it nearby, intensifying the impetus to seek more such flowers.