Shloka 38
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 33 — Kuru Cattle-Raid and Matsya Mobilization (भूमिंजय-प्रेरणा)
ततो राजन्नाशुकारी कुन्तीपुत्रो वृकोदर:
tato rājann āśukārī kuntīputro vṛkodaraḥ | athāsya sārathiṁ kruddho rathopasthād apātayat ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Then, O King, the swift-acting Vṛkodara (Bhīma), son of Kuntī, in anger struck down his charioteer from the chariot-platform. The scene underscores the fierce momentum of battle, where crippling an opponent’s mobility and command becomes decisive; yet it also shows how wrath (krodha) drives harsh, immediate action amid wartime necessity.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the battlefield context, the verse highlights how anger can become an immediate driving force behind decisive action; ethically, it invites reflection on the tension between necessary martial tactics and the inner discipline expected of a dharmic warrior.
Bhīma (Vṛkodara), acting swiftly and in anger, knocks the opponent’s charioteer down from the chariot-platform—an act that would disrupt the enemy’s control and mobility in combat.