Shloka 18

Devanagari script

गदया वीरघातिन्या यथोत्साहं महामना: । करोत्यसुकरं कर्म रथाश्वनरदन्तिषु,“महामना भीमसेन उत्साहपूर्वक अपनी वीरघातिनी गदाके द्वारा रथ, घोड़े, मनुष्य और हाथियोंपर अपना दुष्कर पराक्रम प्रकट कर रहा है

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | gadayā vīraghātinyā yathotsāhaṃ mahāmanāḥ | karoty asukaraṃ karma rathāśvanaradantiṣu ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Mit seiner heldentötenden Keule und mit einem Eifer, der seinem Entschluss entspricht, vollbringt Bhimasena, der Großgesinnte, Taten, die schwer zu vollbringen sind—und entfaltet seine furchtbare Macht unter Wagen, Pferden, Männern und Elefanten.

Word by Word

गदयाby/with the mace

वीरघातिन्याby the hero-slaying (mace)

यथाas, according to

उत्साहम्energy, zeal

महामनाःthe great-souled (one)

करोतिdoes, performs

असुकरम्very difficult

कर्मdeed, act

रथamong chariots

अश्वamong horses

नरamong men

दन्तिषुamong elephants

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Bhimasena (Bhima)

mace (gadā)

chariots (ratha)

horses (aśva)

men/warriors (nara)

elephants (dantin)

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?

The verse highlights the overwhelming potency of determined action (utsāha) in the warrior context: Bhima’s resolve translates into extraordinary, difficult feats. Ethically, it also points to the double-edged nature of martial excellence—power used in a dharmic war still entails immense destruction across all battlefield divisions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Bhima, wielding his mace, is cutting through the battlefield—striking down fighters among chariots, cavalry, infantry, and elephant corps—performing near-impossible exploits through sheer vigor and strength.