Shloka 51

Devanagari script

स्थित्वा विष्टभ्य चरणौ भीमेन शिनिपुज्भव:

Transliteration

sthitvā viṣṭabhya caraṇau bhīmena śinipujbhavaḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: Standing firm and bracing his feet, the descendant of Śini steadied himself before Bhīma, poised for the next violent exchange.

Word by Word

• स्थित्वा: having stood
• स्थित्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• विष्टभ्य: having braced/supported
• विष्टभ्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• चरणौ: the two feet
• चरणौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• भीमेन: by Bhima
• भीमेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• शिनिपुज्भवः: the one born in the Shini lineage (a Shini-descendant)
• शिनिपुज्भवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिनिपुज्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīma
• Śini (lineage reference)
• Śini-descendant (likely Sātyaki)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In the battlefield ethic of the epic, the verse highlights steadiness and preparedness: a warrior must first establish firm footing—symbolically and physically—before meeting overwhelming force. It underscores resolve (dhairya) as a prerequisite to effective action in crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a Śini-line warrior (commonly understood as Sātyaki) bracing his stance and planting his feet as he confronts Bhīma, signaling an imminent clash and the tense escalation of close combat.