Shloka 4
अलायुधस्य भीमवधसंकल्पः
Alāyudha’s Resolve to Confront Bhīma
Devanagari script
प्रमृज्य वदनं शुभ्र॑ पुण्डरीकसमप्रभम्
Transliteration
pramṛjya vadanaṃ śubhraṃ puṇḍarīkasamaprabham
Translation
Sañjaya said: Having wiped his face—bright and radiant like a white lotus—he composed himself.
Word by Word
प्रमृज्यhaving wiped/cleansed
प्रमृज्य:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + मृज्
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि
वदनम्face
वदनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवदन
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
शुभ्रम्bright, pure, white
शुभ्रम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootशुभ्र
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
पुण्डरीक-सम-प्रभम्having a radiance equal to a lotus
पुण्डरीक-सम-प्रभम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootपुण्डरीकसमप्रभ
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaCharacter 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
The verse highlights inner discipline under pressure: even amid violence and distress, one strives to regain self-control and outward dignity—an ethical ideal in epic narrative where emotions must be mastered rather than allowed to rule.
Sañjaya describes a person (implied from context) wiping his face and appearing bright like a white lotus, indicating a moment of recovery—perhaps after tears, sweat, or dust—before continuing speech or action in the war narrative.