Shloka 16
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 137 — Bhīṣma–Droṇa Counsel and the Ethics of Restraint
“जिनके कंधे सिंहके समान और भुजाएँ बड़ी, गोलाकार तथा अधिक मोटी हैं, वे योद्धाओंमें श्रेष्ठ भीमसेन भी तुम्हें अपनी दोनों भुजाओंमें भरकर छातीसे चिपका लें ।। कम्बुग्रीवो गुडाकेशस्ततत्त्वां पुष्करेक्षण: । अभिवादयतां पार्थ: कुन्तीपुत्रो धनंजय:,'शंखके समान ग्रीवा और कमलसदृश नेत्रोंवाले निद्राविजयी कुन्तीपुत्र धनंजय तुम्हें हाथ जोड़कर प्रणाम करें
siṁhaskandhā mahābāhavo vṛttapīnāyatoravaḥ | yoddhṛṣv api śreṣṭho bhīmasenas tvāṁ bāhubhyāṁ parigṛhya vakṣasi saṁśliṣyeta || kambugrīvo guḍākeśas tattvāṁ puṣkarekṣaṇaḥ | abhivādayatāṁ pārthaḥ kuntīputro dhanañjayaḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Even Bhīmasena—broad-shouldered like a lion, with long, rounded, powerful arms, and foremost among warriors—may clasp you in both his arms and press you to his chest. And Arjuna too, the son of Kuntī—Guḍākeśa, with a conch-like neck and lotus-like eyes—may bow to you with joined hands.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds maryādā (proper conduct) among warriors: physical might is paired with humility and reverence. Even the greatest heroes are portrayed as capable of affectionate embrace and respectful salutation, underscoring that strength in dharma includes self-restraint and honoring worthy persons.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war setting, Vaiśaṃpāyana describes how the foremost Pāṇḍava heroes—Bhīma and Arjuna—would relate to the addressed person: Bhīma might embrace tightly, while Arjuna would offer a formal greeting with folded hands, highlighting their stature and their respectful disposition.