Shloka 30

Devanagari script

तथागते भीममभीस्तवात्मज: ससार राजावरज: किरन्‌ शरै: | तमभ्यधावत्‌ त्वरितो वृकोदरो महारुरुं सिंह इवाभिपेदिवान्‌

Transliteration

tathāgate bhīmam abhīṣṭavātmajaḥ sasāra rājāvarajaḥ kiran śaraiḥ | tam abhyadhāvat tvarito vṛkodaro mahāruruṃ siṃha ivābhipedivān |

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: Cuando Bhīma avanzó así, el hermano menor de tu hijo (el hermano menor del rey) se lanzó contra él, derramando una lluvia de flechas. Con presteza Vṛkodara cargó de frente—como un león que se abalanza sobre una gran serpiente.

Word by Word

तथाthus, in that manner

आगतेwhen (he) had come / upon (his) coming

भीमम्Bhima

अभीःtowards, against

तवyour

आत्मजःson

ससारrushed, sprang forward

राजावरजःthe king's younger brother

किरन्scattering, showering

शरैःwith arrows

तम्him

अभ्यधावत्ran towards, charged

त्वरितःswift, hastened

वृकोदरःVrikodara (Bhima)

महारुरुम्a great ruru-deer

सिंहःa lion

इवlike, as if

अभिपेदिवान्attacked, fell upon

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīma (Vṛkodara)

Duryodhana (implied by 'your son')

Duḥśāsana (implied by 'the king’s younger brother')

arrows (śara)

lion (siṃha)

great serpent (mahāruru)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its battlefield form: when confronted with aggression, a warrior is expected to respond with courage and decisive action. The lion-and-serpent simile underscores fearlessness and the moral intensity of combat duty, even amid personal enmity.

What is happening in the narrative?

As Bhīma advances, Duḥśāsana (Duryodhana’s younger brother) rushes at him, shooting arrows. Bhīma immediately charges back at high speed, compared to a lion pouncing on a great serpent.