Shloka 56

Droṇa’s Ācārya-Dakṣiṇā: Capture of Drupada and Division of Pāñcāla (द्रोण-आचार्यदक्षिणा)

Devanagari script

ततः समेत्य बहुभिस्तदा नागैर्महाविषै: । अदश्यत भृशं भीमो महादंष्टविषोल्बणै:,भीमसेन बेहोशीकी ही दशामें जलके भीतर डूबकर नागलोकमें जा पहुँचे। उस समय कितने ही नागकुमार उनके शरीरसे दब गये। तब बहुत-से महाविषधर नागोंने मिलकर अपनी भयंकर विषवाली बड़ी-बड़ी दाढ़ोंसे भीमसेनको खूब डँसा

Transliteration

tataḥ sametya bahubhis tadā nāgair mahāviṣaiḥ | adāśyata bhṛśaṃ bhīmo mahādaṃṣṭraviṣolbaṇaiḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Da kamen viele Schlangen, erfüllt von tödlichem Gift, zusammen und bissen Bhīma immer wieder mit ihren gewaltigen Fangzähnen, die durch das Gift so schrecklich waren.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

समेत्यhaving come together, assembling

बहुभिःby many

तदाat that time

नागैःby the serpents

महाविषैःby (those) of great poison

अदश्यतwas seen, appeared

भृशम्exceedingly, greatly

भीमःBhima

महादंष्टविषोल्बणैःby (serpents) fierce with poison (and) great fangs

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhīma (Bhīmasena)

Nāgas (serpents)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Physical might alone is not absolute; circumstances and hidden dangers can overpower even the strongest. The narrative points toward the need for rightful protection, restraint, and the working out of destiny (karma) beyond brute force.

What is happening in the narrative?

A multitude of highly venomous nāgas assemble and repeatedly bite Bhīma with their large, poison-laden fangs, intensifying his peril within the serpent realm context of the episode.