Shloka 30

Devanagari script

तथागते भीममभीस्तवात्मज: ससार राजावरज: किरन्‌ शरै: | तमभ्यधावत्‌ त्वरितो वृकोदरो महारुरुं सिंह इवाभिपेदिवान्‌

Transliteration

tathāgate bhīmam abhīṣṭavātmajaḥ sasāra rājāvarajaḥ kiran śaraiḥ | tam abhyadhāvat tvarito vṛkodaro mahāruruṃ siṃha ivābhipedivān |

Translation

Sañjaya said: When Bhīma had thus come forward, your son’s younger brother (the king’s younger brother) rushed at him, showering arrows. Swiftly Vṛkodara charged straight at him—like a lion springing upon a great serpent.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• आगते: when (he) had come / upon (his) coming
• आगते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: क्त, Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भीमम्: Bhima
• भीमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभीः: towards, against
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभी

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• आत्मजः: son
• आत्मजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ससार: rushed, sprang forward
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृ
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजावरजः: the king's younger brother
• राजावरजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजावरज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• किरन्: scattering, showering
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॄ
• Form: शतृ, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्यधावत्: ran towards, charged
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धाव्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• त्वरितः: swift, hastened
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित
• Form: क्त, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृकोदरः: Vrikodara (Bhima)
• वृकोदरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृकोदर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महारुरुम्: a great ruru-deer
• महारुरुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारुरु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सिंहः: a lion
• सिंहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अभिपेदिवान्: attacked, fell upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-पद्
• Form: क्तवतु, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīma (Vṛkodara)
• Duryodhana (implied by 'your son')
• Duḥśāsana (implied by 'the king’s younger brother')
• arrows (śara)
• lion (siṃha)
• great serpent (mahāruru)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its battlefield form: when confronted with aggression, a warrior is expected to respond with courage and decisive action. The lion-and-serpent simile underscores fearlessness and the moral intensity of combat duty, even amid personal enmity.

What is happening in the narrative?

As Bhīma advances, Duḥśāsana (Duryodhana’s younger brother) rushes at him, shooting arrows. Bhīma immediately charges back at high speed, compared to a lion pouncing on a great serpent.