Shloka 20

Devanagari script

त॑ भीम: सहसाभ्येत्य राक्षसान्तकर: प्रभो । सगणं राक्षसेन्द्रं तं शरवर्षरवाकिरत्‌,राजन! राक्षस्रोंका विनाश करनेवाले भीमने सहसा निकट जाकर सैनिकगणोंसहित राक्षसराज अलायुधको अपने बाणोंकी वर्षासे ढक दिया

Transliteration

taṁ bhīmaḥ sahasābhyetya rākṣasāntakaraḥ prabho | sagaṇaṁ rākṣasendraṁ taṁ śaravarṣair avākirat ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: O Herr, Bhīma—der Vernichter der Rākṣasas—stürmte sogleich heran und, ganz nahe gekommen, bedeckte jenen Rākṣasa-König Ālāyudha samt seinem Gefolge mit einem tosenden Pfeilregen.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

भीमःBhima

सहसाsuddenly, swiftly

अभ्येत्यhaving approached

राक्षसान्तकरःdestroyer of the Rakshasas

प्रभोO lord

सगणम्together with his troops

राक्षसेन्द्रम्the lord/king of Rakshasas

तम्him, that one

शरवर्षरवाकिरत्showered/covered (with a rain of arrows)

राजन्O king

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīma

rākṣasa-king (Alāyudha, per Gītā Press gloss)

rākṣasa troops/retinue

arrows (śara)

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?

In the epic’s war-ethic (kṣatriya-dharma), a dangerous aggressor must be checked swiftly and effectively. Bhīma’s rapid advance and overwhelming arrow-shower exemplify decisive action taken to protect one’s side and restore tactical balance, even when the means are violent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma suddenly rushes up to the rākṣasa-king (identified in the Gītā Press note as Alāyudha) and, along with the king’s followers present, blankets them with a dense rain of arrows, initiating or intensifying a direct combat exchange.