Shloka 33

Devanagari script

अब्रवीत्‌ पुण्डरीकाक्षो धनंजयमिदं वच: । पश्य भीम॑ महाबाहं राक्षसेन्द्रवर्शं गतम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | abravīt puṇḍarīkākṣo dhanañjayam idaṃ vacaḥ | paśya bhīmaṃ mahābāho rākṣasendravarṣaṃ gatam ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Da wandte sich der Lotosäugige mit diesen Worten an Dhananjaya: „O du mit den mächtigen Armen, sieh auf Bhīma—er ist in den eigentlichen Sturzregen des Herrn der Rākṣasas vorgedrungen.“ Die Zeile betont die moralische Spannung des Krieges: Tapferkeit muss mit Wachsamkeit einhergehen, denn selbst vermeintlich gerechter Zorn kann den Krieger ins Verderben ziehen, wenn er einem gewaltigen, unkonventionellen Feind begegnet.

Word by Word

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (वचने)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पुण्डरीकाक्षः: the lotus-eyed one (Krishna)
• पुण्डरीकाक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीकाक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धनंजयम्: to Dhananjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पश्य: see/behold
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (दर्शने)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), 2, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भीमम्: Bhima
• भीमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महाबाहुम्: mighty-armed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राक्षसेन्द्रवशम्: under the control/power of the lord of Rakshasas
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षसेन्द्रवश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गतम्: gone/come to (a state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (गत)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Kṛṣṇa)
• Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• Bhima
• Rākṣasendra (lord of the Rakshasas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a righteous war, discernment and watchfulness are essential: a warrior’s strength (Bhima’s) must be guided by timely counsel (Kṛṣṇa’s) so that courage does not become reckless exposure to danger.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that Kṛṣṇa (the lotus-eyed one) speaks to Arjuna, drawing his attention to Bhima, who has moved into the intense onslaught—likened to a ‘downpour’—coming from a powerful rākṣasa leader.