Shloka 18

Adhyāya 110: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament on Fate; Saṃjaya’s Reproof and the Princes’ Assault on Bhīma (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय ११०)

Devanagari script

पुनश्चतुःशतान्‌ हत्वा भीम॑ विव्याध पत्रिणा | सो5तिविद्धस्तथा भीमो राक्षसेन महाबल:

Transliteration

punaś catuḥśatān hatvā bhīmaṁ vivyādha patriṇā | so 'tividdhas tathā bhīmo rākṣasena mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Nachdem Bhīma weitere vierhundert Männer erschlagen hatte, wurde er darauf von einem Pfeil durchbohrt. Obwohl so schwer verwundet, blieb der mächtige Bhīma standhaft gegenüber dem überaus starken Rākṣasa-Feind—und zeigte, wie in der brutalen Ethik der Schlachtpflicht Mut und Ausdauer inmitten unablässiger Gewalt geprüft werden.

Word by Word

पुनःagain

चतुःशतान्four hundreds (four hundred men)

हत्वाhaving slain

भीमम्Bhima

विव्याधpierced, struck

पत्रिणाwith a feathered arrow

सःhe

अतिविद्धःpierced through, grievously wounded

तथाthus, in that manner

भीमःBhima

राक्षसेनby the Rakshasa (demon-warrior)

महाबलःmighty-strong

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīma

rākṣasa (demonic warrior)

arrow (patri)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh moral landscape of war: even after immense slaughter, a warrior’s resolve is measured by steadiness under injury. It reflects kṣatriya-duty as endurance and courage amid suffering, without romanticizing the violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma, after killing four hundred opponents, is struck by a feathered arrow shot by a powerful rākṣasa. Though severely wounded, Bhīma remains formidable and continues to face the enemy.