Shloka 68

Devanagari script

शरैश्व॒ बहुधा राजन्‌ भीममार्च्छत्‌ समन्ततः । प्रतिहत्य तु वेगेन भीमसेन: प्रतापवान्‌

Transliteration

śaraiś ca bahudhā rājan bhīmam ārcchat samantataḥ | pratihatya tu vegena bhīmasenaḥ pratāpavān

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: O König, obgleich Bhīma von allen Seiten auf vielerlei Weise von Pfeilschauern bedrängt wurde, wurde er doch nicht überwältigt. Der mächtige und tapfere Bhīmasena schlug mit Schnelligkeit und Wucht zurück und wies den Angriff ab.

Word by Word

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• बहुधा: in many ways; repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

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

• आर्च्छत्: attacked; assailed; went at
• Type: Verb
• Root: ऋच्छ्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• समन्ततः: on all sides; all around
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

• प्रतिहत्य: having struck back; having repelled
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-हन्
• Form: Absolutive (Ktva/Lyap), Parasmaipada (usage)

• तु: but; however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• वेगेन: with speed; with force
• वेगेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• भीमसेनः: Bhimasena
• भीमसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतापवान्: mighty; valorous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness under assault and the kṣatriya ethic of responding decisively yet purposefully in battle: endurance when surrounded, and effective counteraction rather than panic or collapse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīma is attacked from all sides by many arrows, but the powerful Bhīmasena quickly counters and repels the onslaught.