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Shloka 23

Devanagari script

पाण्ड्यक्ष राजा समितीन्द्रकल्पो योधप्रवीरैर्बहुभि: समेत: । समागत: पाण्डवार्थे महात्मा लोकप्रवीरो<5प्रतिवीर्यतेजा:,पाण्ड्यदेशके महामना राजा, जो संसारके सुविख्यात वीर, अनुपम पराक्रम और तेजसे सम्पन्न तथा युद्धमें देवराज इन्द्रके समान हैं, पाण्डवोंकी सहायताके लिये बहुत-से प्रमुख योद्धाओंके साथ पधारे हैं गदापाणिभ्भीमसेनस्तरस्वी प्रवेपयञ्छत्रुसड्घाननीके । नाग: प्रभिन्न इव नड्वलेषु चंक्रम्यते कच्चिदेनं स्मरन्ति जैसे मस्तकसे मदकी धारा बहानेवाला गजराज सरकंडोंसे भरे हुए स्थानोंमें निर्भय विचरता है, उसी प्रकार वेगशाली वीर भीमसेन हाथमें गदा लिये रणभूमिमें शत्रुसमुदायको कम्पित करते हुए विचरण करते हैं। क्या कौरवलोग उन्हें भी कभी याद करते हैं? इति श्रीमहाभारते उद्योगपर्वणि सञ्जययानपर्वणि युधिष्ठिरप्रश्ने त्रयोविंशो 5ध्याय: ।। २३ ।। इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत उद्योगपर्वके अन्तर्गत संजययानपर्वमें युधिष्िरप्रश्नविषयक तेईसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

pāṇḍyaś ca rājā samitīndrakalpo yodhapravīrair bahubhiḥ sametaḥ |

samāgataḥ pāṇḍavārthe mahātmā lokapravīro ’prativīryatejāḥ ||

gadāpāṇir bhīmasenas tarasvī pravepayañ chatrusaṅghān raṇe ’sau |

nāgaḥ prabhinna iva naḍvaleṣu caṅkramyate kaccid enaṃ smaranti ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The king of the Pāṇḍyas—like Indra in the clash of armies—arrived for the Pāṇḍavas’ cause, accompanied by many foremost warriors. That great-souled ruler, famed throughout the world, possessed of unrivalled valor and splendor, came as their ally. And Bhīmasena, mighty and swift, with mace in hand, roams the battlefield shaking the enemy hosts—like a rut-maddened elephant striding fearlessly through reed-filled marshes. Do the Kauravas ever remember him even now?

Word by Word

पाण्ड्यःthe Pāṇḍya (king)

राजाking

समितीन्द्रकल्पःIndra-like in battle

योधप्रवीरैःwith foremost warriors

बहुभिःwith many

समेतःaccompanied, together (with)

समागतःhas come, arrived

पाण्डवार्थेfor the sake of the Pāṇḍavas

महात्माthe great-souled one

लोकप्रवीरःa hero famed in the world

प्रतिवीर्यतेजाःpossessing (matchless) valor and splendor

गदापाणिःone whose hand holds a mace (mace-handed)

भीमसेनःBhīmasena

तरस्वीimpetuous, forceful

प्रवेपयन्causing to tremble

शत्रुसङ्घान्hosts of enemies

अनीकेin the army/battle-array

नागःan elephant

प्रभिन्नःin rut, with temples streaming

इवlike, as

नड्वलेषुin reed-beds

चंक्रम्यतेmoves about, roams

कच्चित्whether indeed?, I wonder if

एनम्him

स्मरन्तिremember

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍya king

Pāṇḍavas

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

Kauravas

Indra

mace (gadā)

elephant (nāga)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights the ethical weight of choosing sides in a just cause: a renowned king joins the Pāṇḍavas with capable allies, and Bhīma’s fearsome presence serves as a moral and strategic reminder that adharma invites formidable resistance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes reinforcements for the Pāṇḍavas: the Pāṇḍya king arrives with many champions. He then depicts Bhīma moving through battle with a mace, terrifying enemy ranks like a rutting elephant in reeds, and asks whether the Kauravas still remember Bhīma’s might.