Shloka 36
ततो भीमो दृढक्रोधो द्रोणस्याश्शलिष्य तं रथम् । शनकैरिव राजेन्द्र द्रोणं वचनमत्रवीत्,राजेन्द्र! तब अपने क्रोधको दृढ़तापूर्वक बनाये रखनेवाले भीमसेन द्रोणाचार्यके उस रथसे सटकर उनसे धीरे-धीरे इस प्रकार बोले--
tato bhīmo dṛḍhakrodho droṇasyāśśaliṣya taṁ ratham | śanakair iva rājendra droṇaṁ vacanam abravīt ||
Sañjaya said: Then Bhīma, his wrath held firm, drew close alongside Droṇa’s chariot. O king, as if with measured slowness, he addressed Droṇa with deliberate words—amid the violence of war, where speech itself becomes a weapon and a test of resolve.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in the extremity of battle, intention and speech matter: controlled pacing (śanakaiḥ) and deliberate address show that ethical pressure, persuasion, or psychological strategy can accompany physical combat. The verse highlights how inner states (dṛḍhakrodha) shape outward action, making self-mastery and moral discernment crucial amid violence.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīma, burning with steady anger, moves his chariot close to Droṇa’s chariot and begins to speak to him slowly and pointedly. The verse sets up an ensuing exchange where Bhīma’s words are poised to influence the immediate course of the fight and the moral atmosphere of the episode.