In the specific context of the Mahābhārata episode where
Yudhiṣṭhira is questioning the wisdom of sending Bhima
on a dangerous task—namely, retrieving the sacred grass
for a Brahmana—the Sanskrit term “gamayad” (गमयत्)
arises as a verb derived from the root gam (to go, to lead,
to bring). In classical Sanskrit grammar, gamayad is optative
or imperative in mood, generally meaning “let [someone] go,”
“send,” “cause to go,” or “bring [someone] to a place or task.”
In this episode:
Bhima is being sent intentionally to undertake a challenging
or dangerous task.
The moral and practical concern expressed by Yudhiṣṭhira
is whether Bhima should be “sent merely by force” (gamayad)—i.e., commanded or coerced without ethical or strategic
justification.
Kunti, in response, reassures him that Bhima’s strength and
dharmic duty support the mission, implicitly invoking his
virtuous capacity to act voluntarily rather than being merely
forced.
Thus, in English translation and commentary of this passage,
“gamayad” is rendered as:
- “Send him” or “let him go” (imperative/optative sense).
- It indicates the action of causing or directing someone
- to proceed, in this case Bhima.
- It carries a subtle nuance about agency and moral
- responsibility: Yudhiṣṭhira is questioning whether such
- sending should be purely an act of authority (force) or
- morally guided, which aligns with the epic’s focus on dharma.
In summary:
“Gamayad” = “send [someone], cause to go, let go,” especially
in the optative/imperative form, with connotations of both
practical direction and ethical responsibility as illustrated in
Yudhiṣṭhira’s deliberation regarding Bhima. It is not mere
coercion; it implicates judgment in the act of assigning
someone to a task.
