Mahabharata · 1.143.31–32
॥
Devanāgarī
बालो ऽपि यौवनं प्राप्तो मानुषेषु विशां पते ॥
सर्वास्त्रेषु परं वीरः प्रकर्षम् अगमद् बली ॥
सद्यो हि गर्भं राक्षस्यो लभन्ते प्रसवन्ति च ॥
कामरूपधराश् चैव भवन्ति बहुरूपिणः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bālo 'pi yauvanaṃ prāpto mānuṣeṣu viśāṃ pate ||
sarvāstreṣu paraṃ vīraḥ prakarṣam agamad balī ||
sadyo hi garbhaṃ rākṣasyo labhante prasavanti ca ||
kāmarūpadharāś caiva bhavanti bahurūpiṇaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
बालः अपि यौवनं प्राप्तः मानुषेषु विशां पतेbālaḥ api yauvanaṃ prāptaḥ mānuṣeṣu viśāṃ pateThough a child, he at once attained youth, O lord of the people;
सर्वास्त्रेषु परं वीरः प्रकर्षम् अगमत् बलीsarvāstreṣu paraṃ vīraḥ prakarṣam agamat balīin all weapons he attained the highest, a mighty hero;
सद्यः हि गर्भं राक्षस्यः लभन्ते प्रसवन्ति चsadyaḥ hi garbhaṃ rākṣasyaḥ labhante prasavanti cafor rakshasis conceive at once and give birth at once,
कामरूपधराः च एव भवन्ति बहुरूपिणःkāmarūpadharāḥ ca eva bhavanti bahurūpiṇaḥand are able to change form at will, taking many shapes;
बालोbālooriginal form "bālo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽपि'pioriginal form "'pi", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्राप्तोprāptooriginal form "prāpto", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अगमद्agamadoriginal form "agamad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सद्योsadyooriginal form "sadyo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
राक्षस्योrākṣasyooriginal form "rākṣasyo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कामरूपधराश्kāmarūpadharāśoriginal form "kāmarūpadharāś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चैवcaivaoriginal form "caiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"Though a child, he at once attained youth, O lord of the people; in all weapons he attained the highest, a mighty hero. For rakshasis conceive at once and give birth at once, and are able to change form at will, taking many shapes."
Version
53cac5f726c6 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:09:57 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the wondrous nature of the newborn reveals itself. Striking is his instant maturation: the child at once becomes a youth skilled in every weapon — the tribe of rakshasas follows different laws, unbound by slow human growth. This is a reminder of the manifold nature of creation: the worlds are peopled with beings of differing natures and laws, and the marvelous should not trouble the mind. Thus the scripture shows that the strength needed for future service is given to Ghatotkacha at once and in full; for he is born not for long growth, but for the swift fulfillment of what is destined.