Shloka 23

भीमसेन-दुर्योधन-समागमः

Bhīmasena–Duryodhana Engagement at Sunset

Devanagari script

तस्य शक्ति महावेगां भीमसेनो महाबल: । क्रुद्धाशीविषसंकाशां प्रेषयामास भारत,भारत! तब महाबली भीमसेनने क्रोधमें भरे हुए विषधर सर्पके समान भयंकर महावेगशालिनी शक्ति भीष्मपर छोड़ी

Transliteration

tasya śaktiṁ mahāvegāṁ bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ | kruddhāśīviṣa-saṅkāśāṁ preṣayāmāsa bhārata ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: O Bhārata! Da schleuderte der überaus starke Bhīmasena, vom Zorn entflammt, gegen Bhīṣma eine Śakti—einen Speer von gewaltiger Geschwindigkeit, schrecklich wie eine erzürnte Giftschlange.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/that (of Bhīṣma)
• तस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• शक्तिम्: spear/weapon (śakti)
• शक्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• महावेगाम्: of great speed/impetus
• महावेगाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावेग
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• भीमसेनः: Bhīmasena
• भीमसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाबलः: mighty/very strong
• महाबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रुद्धाशीविषसंकाशाम्: like an enraged venomous serpent
• क्रुद्धाशीविषसंकाशाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध-आशीविष-संकाश
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रेषयामास: sent/shot/hurled
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इष् (प्रेषयति)
• Form: Perfect (Periphrastic), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun (Proper/Vocative epithet)
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• śakti (spear/javelin weapon)
• Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger (krodha) intensifies destructive action in war: martial strength joined with wrath produces terrifying force. Ethically, it cautions that even within kṣatriya-duty, inner states like rage shape the gravity and consequences of one’s deeds.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma, in great fury, launches a fast and fearsome śakti (spear/javelin) at his opponent, likening its dreadful momentum to an enraged venomous serpent.