Shloka 25

द्रोणपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 15): युधिष्ठिर-रक्षा तथा अर्जुनस्य शरवृष्टिः

Devanagari script

गदया मद्रराजेन सव्यदक्षिणमाहत: । नाकम्पत तदा भीमो भिद्यमान इवाचल:,उस समय मद्रराजकी गदासे बायें-दायें चोट खाकर भी भीमसेन विचलित नहीं हुए। जैसे पर्वत वजका आघात सहकर भी अविचलभावसे खड़ा रहता है

Transliteration

gadayā madrarājena savyadakṣiṇam āhataḥ | nākampata tadā bhīmo bhidyamāna ivācalaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Struck on the left and on the right by the mace of the king of Madra, Bhīma did not waver at all. Though being battered, he stood firm like an unshaken mountain—showing the warrior’s steadfastness amid the violence of battle.

Word by Word

गदयाwith a mace

मद्रराजेनby the king of Madra (Shalya)

सव्यदक्षिणम्left and right (sides)

आहतःstruck / hit

नnot

अकम्पतshook / trembled

तदाthen

भीमःBhima

भिद्यमानःbeing split / being struck so as to be broken

इवas if / like

अचलःa mountain

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīma (Bhīmasena)

Madrarāja (King of Madra, Śalya)

gadā (mace)

acala (mountain)

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 steadfastness (dhairya) under adversity: even when struck repeatedly, a warrior should remain composed and unwavering in duty, embodying kṣatriya endurance rather than yielding to fear or pain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that the king of Madra (Śalya) strikes Bhīma from both sides with a mace, yet Bhīma remains unmoved, compared to a mountain that stands firm despite heavy blows.