Shloka 2

बक-राक्षसस्य आह्वानम् तथा वृक्षयुद्धम्

Summons of Baka and the Tree-Weapon Engagement

Devanagari script

जड्घावातो ववौ चास्य शुचिशुक्रागमे यथा । आवर्जितलतावक्ष मार्ग चक्रे महाबल:,जैसे ज्येष्ठ और आषाढ़ मासके संधिकालमें जोर-जोरसे हवा चलने लगती है, उसी प्रकार उनकी पिंडलियोंके वेगपूर्वक संचालनसे आँधी-सी उठ रही थी। महाबली भीम जिस मार्गसे चलते, वहाँकी लताओं और वृक्षोंकों पैरोंसे रौॉदकर जमीनके बराबर कर देते थे

Transliteration

jaḍghāvāto vavau cāsya śuciśukrāgame yathā | āvarjitalatāvṛkṣa-mārgaṃ cakre mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Wie ein wilder Wind an der Naht der Monate Jyeṣṭha und Āṣāḍha aufbraust, so schien auch aus der kraftvollen Bewegung seiner Beine eine Böe aufzusteigen. Der überaus starke Bhīma bahnte sich, wohin er auch ging, einen Weg, indem er Schlingpflanzen und Bäume niedertrat und sie dem Boden gleichmachte.

Word by Word

• {'jaḍghāvātaḥ': 'a violent/impetuous wind

• a strong gust (metaphor for the force generated by movement)', 'vavau': 'blew (from √vā, ‘to blow’)', 'cāsya': 'and of him / for him', 'yathā': 'just as', 'śuci-śukra-āgame': 'at the coming/approach of the bright months (interpreted here as the seasonal junction around Jyeṣṭha–Āṣāḍha)', 'āvarjita': 'turned aside, swept away, trampled down', 'latā': 'creeper, vine', 'vṛkṣa': 'tree', 'mārgaṃ': 'path, track', 'cakre': 'made, created (from √kṛ)', 'mahābalaḥ': 'one of great strength (epithet

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīma
• Jyeṣṭha (month)
• Āṣāḍha (month)
• wind
• creepers (latā)
• trees (vṛkṣa)
• path (mārga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the epic ideal of overwhelming physical prowess harnessed for purposeful movement; it also uses nature-simile to suggest that great power leaves visible consequences, inviting reflection on how strength should be directed responsibly within dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Bhīma moving with such force that it seems like a storm-wind is generated by his stride; as he advances, he crushes creepers and trees, creating a clear path through the terrain.