Shloka 70
Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57
ततो मुहूर्तादुपलभ्य चेतनां प्रमृज्य वक्त्र॑ रुधिराक्तमात्मन: | धृतिं समालम्ब्य विवृत्य लोचने बलेन संस्तभ्य वृकोदर: स्थित:,तत्पश्चात् दो घड़ीमें सचेत हो भीमसेन खूनसे भींगे हुए अपने मुँहको पोंछते हुए उठे और बलपूर्वक अपनेको सँभालकर धैर्यका आश्रय ले आँख खोलकर देखते हुए पुनः युद्धके लिये खड़े हो गये
tato muhūrtād upalabhya cetanāṃ pramṛjya vaktraṃ rudhirāktam ātmanaḥ | dhṛtiṃ samālambya vivṛtya locane balena saṃstabhya vṛkodaraḥ sthitaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: After a short while, Bhīmasena regained consciousness. Wiping his own face, smeared with blood, he steadied himself with resolve; opening his eyes and bracing his body by sheer strength, Vṛkodara stood up again, ready to return to the fight—an image of endurance amid the brutal demands of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dhṛti (steadfast resolve): even when wounded and shaken, a warrior is expected to regain composure, master fear and pain, and return to duty with self-control rather than rage or despair.
Bhīma (Vṛkodara), having been struck down or stunned in battle, comes back to consciousness after a brief interval, wipes the blood from his face, opens his eyes, steadies himself with strength and resolve, and rises again to continue fighting.