Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 28

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 33 — Kuru Cattle-Raid and Matsya Mobilization (भूमिंजय-प्रेरणा)

Devanagari script

पातिता भीमसेनेन विराटस्य समीपत: । पत्तयो निहतास्तेषां गदां गृह्म महात्मना

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | pātitā bhīmasenena virāṭasya samīpataḥ | pattayo nihatās teṣāṃ gadāṃ gṛhya mahātmanā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Near King Virāṭa, Bhīmasena struck them down; their foot-soldiers were slain. Taking up his mace, that great-souled hero felled the enemy forces in Virāṭa’s vicinity, protecting the king amid the crisis of war.

Word by Word

• पातिताः: felled, struck down
• पातिताः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पातित (√पत्/√पात् + णिच्, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भीमसेनेन: by Bhimasena
• भीमसेनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विराटस्य: of Virata
• विराटस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• समीपतः: near, in the vicinity
• समीपतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समीप

• पत्तयः: foot-soldiers
• पत्तयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्ति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• निहताः: were slain
• निहताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निहत (नि + √हन्, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• गदाम्: mace
• गदाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गृह्य: having taken, taking up
• गृह्य: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गृह्य (√ग्रह्, ल्यप्)

• महात्मना: by the great-souled (one)
• महात्मना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Virāṭa
• gadā (mace)
• pattayaḥ (infantry)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames Bhīma’s violence within kṣatriya-dharma: force is employed not for cruelty but to protect the threatened king and restore order in a wartime emergency. Ethical emphasis lies on rightful intent (rakṣaṇa/protection) and disciplined action in one’s duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Bhīma, near King Virāṭa, seizes his mace and strikes down the enemy troops—especially the infantry—clearing the battlefield around Virāṭa and safeguarding him amid the clash.