Mahabharata 9.5.14 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 5, Shloka 14
शल्यस्य सेनापत्याभ्युपगमः | Śalya’s Acceptance of Command
मध्यम: पाण्डवस्तीक्ष्णो भीमसेनो महाबल: । प्रतिज्ञातं च तेनोग्रं भज्येतापि न संनमेत्
madhyamaḥ pāṇḍavas tīkṣṇo bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ | pratijñātaṃ ca tenograṃ bhajyetāpi na saṃnamet ||
Sañjaya sprach: „Bhīmasena, der mittlere der Pāṇḍava-Brüder, ist wild und von gewaltiger Kraft. Er hat einen furchtbaren Schwur getan: selbst wenn er wie dürres Holz zerbräche, würde er sich nicht beugen.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadfastness to one’s vow as a central warrior-ethic: integrity is measured by refusing to yield even under extreme pressure. It also hints at the moral weight—and danger—of terrible vows in war, where personal resolve can drive both justice and excess.
Sañjaya describes Bhīma’s temperament and the severity of his pledged intention, emphasizing that Bhīma is unbending. This characterization prepares the listener to expect decisive, relentless action from Bhīma in the unfolding battles of the Śalya Parva.
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