Shloka 19

Adhyāya 110: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament on Fate; Saṃjaya’s Reproof and the Princes’ Assault on Bhīma (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय ११०)

Devanagari script

प्रतिलभ्य तत: संज्ञां मारुति: क्रोधमूर्च्छित:,तदनन्तर पुन: होशमें आकर क्रोधसे व्याकुल हुए वायुपुत्र भीमने भार वहन करनेमें समर्थ, उत्तम तथा भयंकर धनुष तानकर पैने बाणोंद्वारा सब ओरसे अलम्बुषको पीड़ित कर दिया

Transliteration

saṃjaya uvāca | pratilabhya tataḥ saṃjñāṃ mārutiḥ krodha-mūrcchitaḥ | tadanantaraṃ punaḥ saṃjñām āgamya krodha-vyākulaḥ vāyuputro bhīmaḥ bhāra-vahana-samarthaṃ varaṃ bhīṣaṇaṃ dhanuḥ āyamya tīkṣṇaiḥ śaraiḥ sarvataḥ alambuṣaṃ pīḍayām āsa |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Regaining consciousness, Bhīma—Māruti’s son—still overcome and agitated by wrath, drew his excellent, dreadful bow, strong enough to bear great strain. With sharp arrows shot from every side, he tormented Alambuṣa, pressing him hard in the battle. Ethically, the scene shows how fury, once reawakened, can intensify violence, even as a warrior’s duty drives decisive action against a threatening foe.

Word by Word

• प्रतिलभ्य: having regained/obtained
• प्रतिलभ्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतिलभ् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि, —, —, —

• ततः: then/from that
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• संज्ञाम्: consciousness, awareness
• संज्ञाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• मारुतिः: son of the Wind-god (Maruti)
• मारुतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रोध-मूर्च्छितः: fainted/overpowered by anger
• क्रोध-मूर्च्छितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्च्छित (कृदन्त, मूर्च्छ् धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīma (Vāyuputra/Māruti)
• Vāyu (as epithet-source)
• Alambuṣa
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger can reassert itself even after one regains composure, pushing a warrior toward intensified aggression. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, it implicitly warns that krodha clouds judgment, yet also shows the pressure of kṣatriya-duty in battle to neutralize a dangerous opponent.

What is happening in the narrative?

After recovering consciousness, Bhīma—still inflamed with anger—draws his formidable bow and attacks Alambuṣa from all sides with sharp arrows, severely harassing and overpowering him in the fight.