Shloka 12
प्रावृट्-शरत्-वर्णनम् — Description of the Monsoon and Autumn; Sarasvatī in the Pāṇḍavas’ Exile
भीमसेनस्तु विख्यातो महान्तं दंष्टिणं बलात् निघ्नन् नागशतप्राणो वने तस्मिन् महाबल:
bhīmasenas tu vikhyāto mahāntaṃ daṃṣṭiṇaṃ balāt nighnan nāgaśatapāṇo vane tasmin mahābalaḥ
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Bhīmasena, renowned for his immense strength, would by sheer force strike down even a huge, tusked beast in that forest. Endowed with the power of a hundred elephants, the mighty one dominated the wilderness through irresistible physical prowess.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights controlled, purposeful strength: Bhīma’s extraordinary power is presented as a protective capability in harsh conditions, implying that might gains ethical value when used to safeguard and endure adversity rather than for vanity.
Vaiśaṃpāyana describes Bhīmasena’s famed physical prowess during life in the forest—so great that he could overpower even massive, tusked wild creatures—underscoring the Pāṇḍavas’ capacity to survive and protect themselves in exile.