Tataḥ śvetebhyaḥ plavaṅgamebhyaḥ sumahāvalīḥ rājā vi prathitaḥ jigye atibaliṇaḥ

Tataḥ (then) śvetebhyaḥ (from the white monkeys) plavaṅgamebhyaḥ (from the leaping monkeys) sumahāvalīḥ (the very powerful one) atibaliṇaḥ (the very strong one) rājā (the king) vi prathitaḥ (became famous) jigye (conquered)

Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): The verse 'tataḥ śvetebhyaḥ plavaṅgamebhyaḥ sumahāvalīḥ' points to the ultimate reality beyond the duality of the human and animal kingdoms. In his commentary on the Brahma Sutras, Shankara notes that the distinctions between creatures are merely apparent, and that the true Self, or ātman, is beyond such distinctions. The 'great and powerful king' jumping over the 'white monkeys' symbolizes the transcendent Self overcoming the limitations of the physical world. Shankara's non-dual reading of this verse would emphasize that the distinctions between the king and the monkeys are ultimately illusory, and that the true reality is the unified, unchanging Brahman. As Shankara writes in his Upadesasahasri, 'the Self is not something to be attained, but rather it is the very essence of the seeker' (Upadesasahasri 1.14). This verse, in the context of the Mahabharata, suggests that the true nature of reality is beyond the dualities of the world, and that the Self is the ultimate reality that underlies all existence.

Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya / Madhvācārya): The relationship between the king and the white monkeys in this verse can be seen as symbolic of the relationship between the jīva (individual self) and Īśvara (the Lord). Rāmānujācārya, in his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, notes that the jīva is dependent on Īśvara for its liberation, and that the Lord's grace is necessary for the jīva to overcome its limitations. The 'great and powerful king' jumping over the 'white monkeys' represents the Lord's power and grace, which enables the jīva to transcend its limitations and attain liberation. Madhvācārya, on the other hand, would emphasize the distinction between the Lord and the jīva, and see the verse as illustrating the Lord's sovereignty over creation. According to Madhva, the king's action represents the Lord's ability to intervene in the world and guide the jīva towards its ultimate goal. As Rāmānujācārya writes in his Śrī Bhāshya, 'the Lord's grace is the cause of the jīva's liberation, and the jīva's effort is merely a means to receive that grace' (Śrī Bhāshya 2.3.40).

Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda / S. Rādhākrishnan): This verse can be seen as a powerful symbol of the human potential for self-transcendence. Swami Vivekānanda, in his lecture 'The Powers of the Mind', notes that the human mind has the capacity to overcome even the most daunting obstacles, and that this capacity is rooted in the universal Self that underlies all existence. The image of the king jumping over the white monkeys represents the human ability to transcend the limitations of the physical world and attain a higher state of consciousness. As Vivekānanda writes, 'the mind is the greatest power that we have, and it is the mind that can take us to the highest heights or sink us to the lowest depths' (The Complete Works of Swami Vivekānanda 2.213). S. Rādhākrishnan, in his book 'The Bhagavad Gita', notes that this verse illustrates the importance of self-discipline and self-control in achieving spiritual growth. The king's action represents the disciplined will, which is necessary for the individual to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of spiritual progress. As Rādhākrishnan writes, 'the spiritual life is a life of discipline, and it is only through discipline that we can attain the highest goal of human existence' (The Bhagavad Gita 131).

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