Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अक्रुध्यत रणे भीमस्तैस्तदा पर्यवस्थितै: । सो<वतीर्य रथात्तूर्ण गदापाणिरयुध्यत,उस समय भीमसेन रणमें कुपित हो उठे और तुरंत ही रथसे नीचे उतरकर हाथमें गदा ले वहाँ खड़े हुए पैदल-सैनिकोंके साथ युद्ध करने लगे

Transliteration

akrudhyata raṇe bhīmas tais tadā paryavasthitaiḥ | so 'vatīrya rathāt tūrṇaṃ gadāpāṇir ayudhyata ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Da geriet Bhīma mitten im Kampf in Zorn über jene Truppen, die fest vor ihm standen; er sprang rasch von seinem Wagen herab und begann, die Keule in der Hand, zu Fuß gegen die versammelte Infanterie zu kämpfen.

Word by Word

अक्रुध्यत्became angry

रणेin battle

भीमःBhima

तैःby/with those

तदाthen

पर्यवस्थितैःstanding around / stationed

सःhe

अवतीर्यhaving descended

रथात्from the chariot

तूर्णम्quickly

गदापाणिःone with a mace in hand (mace-handed)

अयुध्यत्fought

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīma (Bhīmasena)

ratha (chariot)

gadā (mace)

infantry/foot-soldiers (implied by context)

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?

The verse highlights a battlefield moral tension: righteous courage is expected of a kṣatriya, yet anger (krodha) can drive one to abandon measured judgment. It invites reflection on how valor should be guided by dharma rather than by uncontrolled wrath.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma, provoked by enemy foot-soldiers who are firmly arrayed, quickly gets down from his chariot and fights them on foot, wielding his mace.