Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 47

Duryodhana-patana-anuśocana

The Fall of Duryodhana and the Contest of Restraint

Devanagari script

सा वज्निष्पेषसमा प्रहिता भीमकर्मणा । ऊरू दुर्योधनस्याथ बभज्ज प्रियदर्शनी

Transliteration

sā vajraniṣpeṣa-samā prahitā bhīma-karmaṇā | ūrū duryodhanasyātha babhajja priya-darśanī ||

Translation

تلك الهراوة التي قذفها بهيما—وصنائعه مُرعبة—هوت كالصاعقة. فحطّمت فخذي دوريوذانا، وإن كانا مما يُستحسن منظره. وتُبرز اللحظة كيف أنّ منطق الحرب الوحشي يجعل حتى ما يُعجب به في جسد المحارب عرضةً لعواقب الكِبر والمنافسة وانكشاف القضاء القاسي.

Word by Word

• सा: she/that (gadha)
• सा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• वज्रनिष्पेषसमा: equal to a thunderbolt-crushing (blow)
• वज्रनिष्पेषसमा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्रनिष्पेषसम
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रहिता: hurled, sent forth
• प्रहिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हि (धातु) → प्रहित
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भीमकर्मणा: by Bhima (the doer of terrible deeds)
• भीमकर्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमकर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• ऊरू: the two thighs
• ऊरू: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊरु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• दुर्योधनस्य: of Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• बभञ्ज: broke, shattered
• Type: Verb
• Root: भञ्ज्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• प्रियदर्शनी: pleasant-looking (i.e., his thighs)
• प्रियदर्शनी: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रियदर्शनी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Duryodhana
• gadā (mace)
• vajra (thunderbolt)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the severe consequences that unfold in war: power and pride invite decisive retaliation, and admired strength or beauty offers no protection when actions ripen into results (karma) amid the harsh demands of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva describes Bhīma hurling his mace with thunderbolt-like force, striking and breaking Duryodhana’s thighs—an emphatic turning point in the climactic duel.