Shloka 38
अध्याय ८० — मध्यंदिन-रणवृत्तान्तः
Yudhiṣṭhira–Śrutāyu encounter; Cekitāna–Gautama clash; Abhimanyu pressure; Arjuna’s redeployment
अथोपगच्छच्छरविक्षताड़ूं पदातिनं क्रोधविषं वमन्तम् । आश्चवासयन् पार्षतो भीमसेनं गदाहस्तं कालमिवान्तकाले
athopagacchaccharavikṣatāḍhyaṃ padātinaṃ krodhaviṣaṃ vamantam | āśvāsayan pārṣato bhīmasenaṃ gadāhastaṃ kālam ivāntakāle ||
Sañjaya sprach: Da trat Pārṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna) zu Bhīmasena—dem Fußkämpfer unter den Helden—dessen Leib dicht von Pfeilen verwundet war und der zuweilen schien, das Gift des Zorns auszustoßen. Er suchte ihn zu ermutigen, während Bhīma mit der Keule in der Hand dastand, gleich der Zeit selbst in der Stunde der Vernichtung.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts righteous martial resolve with the corrosive excess of anger: even a mighty warrior who appears like Death must be steadied by counsel and reassurance, suggesting that dharma in war includes inner governance and support among allies, not merely ferocity.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna (called Pārṣata) approaches Bhīma, who is badly pierced by arrows and blazing with wrath, holding his mace. Dhṛṣṭadyumna attempts to encourage and calm him as Bhīma looks like personified Time at the moment of destruction.