Shloka 21

Devanagari script

अजुन उवाच किमनेन चिरं भीम जीवता पापरक्षसा । गन्तव्ये न चिरं स्थातुमिह शक्‍्यमरिंदम,अर्जुनने कहा--शत्रुओंका दमन करनेवाले भीम! इस पापी राक्षसको देरतक जीवित रखनेसे क्या लाभ? हमलोगोंको आगे चलना है, अतः यहाँ अधिक समयतक ठहरना सम्भव नहीं है

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca kim anena ciraṃ bhīma jīvatā pāparakṣasā | gantavye na ciraṃ sthātum iha śakyam ariṃdama ||

Translation

Arjuna said: “Bhīma, subduer of foes, what purpose is served by letting this sinful rākṣasa live any longer? We must continue our journey, and it is not possible to remain here for long.”

Word by Word

अर्जुनःArjuna

उवाचsaid

किम्what (use/benefit)?

अनेनby/with this; from this

चिरम्for long

भीमO Bhima

जीवताwhile living; by being alive

पाप-रक्षसाby the sinful rakshasa

गन्तव्यम्it is to be gone; we must go

नnot

चिरम्for long

स्थातुम्to stay

इहhere

शक्यम्possible

अरिंदमO subduer of foes

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Bhima

Rakshasa (a demon)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights pragmatic dharma: when a harmful, sinful aggressor threatens safety and delays a necessary duty (continuing the journey), prolonging his life is seen as purposeless; timely action aligned with one’s immediate obligation is emphasized.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna urges Bhīma to stop delaying and to deal decisively with a wicked rākṣasa, because their party must move on and cannot afford to stay in that place for long.