Mahabharata (Gita Press) 3.39.36 - Vana Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 36

Arjuna’s Himalayan Departure and the Commencement of Severe Tapas

Janamejaya’s Inquiry; Sages Approach Śiva

Devanagari script

ततोडअर्जुन: शरवर्ष किराते समवासृजत्‌ | तत्‌ प्रसन्नेन मनसा प्रतिजग्राह शड्कर:,तत्पश्चात्‌ अर्जुनने किरातपर बाणोंकी वर्षा प्रारम्भ की; परंतु भगवान्‌ शंकरने प्रसन्नचित्तसे उन सब बाणोंको ग्रहण कर लिया

Transliteration

tato 'rjunaḥ śaravarṣaṃ kirāte samavāsṛjat | tat prasannena manasā pratijagrāha śaṅkaraḥ ||

Translation

پھر ارجن نے کرات پر تیروں کی گھنی بارش برسا دی؛ مگر شَنکر نے خوش و مطمئن دل کے ساتھ اُن سب کو قبول کر لیا۔

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Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: indeclinable

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• शर-वर्षम्: a shower/rain of arrows
• शर-वर्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• किराते: upon/against the Kirāta (hunter-disguised Śiva)
• किराते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• सम्: together, fully (verbal prefix)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: prefix (upasarga)

• अवासृजत्: he discharged/let loose
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु) (सम् + अव + सृज्)
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• तत्: that (i.e., that arrow-shower)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• प्रसन्नेन: with pleased/serene
• प्रसन्नेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• मनसा: with (his) mind
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• प्रतिजग्राह: accepted/received
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) (प्रति + ग्रह्)
• Form: perfect (liṭ), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

किरयात उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Kirāta
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Human prowess, even at its peak, cannot subdue the divine; the Lord tests and refines the devotee’s courage and intent. True success comes when valor is aligned with humility, discipline, and divine grace rather than anger or pride.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Kirāta episode, Arjuna attacks the hunter (Kirāta), who is actually Śiva in disguise. Arjuna releases a heavy volley of arrows, but Śiva calmly receives them, indicating his superiority and setting the stage for Arjuna’s further trial and eventual blessing.