Shloka 23
मैव सम सुकृताललोकान् गच्छेत् पार्थों वृकोदर: । यदि वक्षो हि ते भित्त्वा न पिबेच्छोणितं रणे
bhīmasena uvāca |
maiva sama-sukṛtāl lokān gacchet pārtho vṛkodaraḥ |
yadi vakṣo hi te bhittvā na pibec choṇitaṃ raṇe ||
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
tasya rājā siṃha-gateḥ sa-khelaṃ duryodhano bhīmasenasya harṣād gatiṃ sva-gatyānucakāra |
mandho nirgacchatāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ sabhāyāḥ ||
Bhīmasena dijo: «Que Arjuna y yo, Vṛkodara, no alcancemos los mismos mundos de mérito si, tras partirte el pecho en batalla, no bebo tu sangre.» Vaiśampāyana dijo: «Oh Janamejaya, cuando los Pāṇḍavas salían del salón de asamblea, el necio rey Duryodhana, henchido de júbilo, se burló imitando el andar altivo, semejante al de un león, de Bhīmasena, acompasándolo con su propia marcha.»
भीमसेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how unchecked pride and mockery deepen enmity and propel adharma: Duryodhana’s taunt adds humiliation to injustice, while Bhīma’s fierce vow shows how anger can harden into violent resolve—ethically warning that insults and wrath both escalate conflict.
After the events in the assembly, the Pāṇḍavas depart. Bhīma utters a terrifying battlefield vow against Duryodhana (to split his chest and drink his blood). Immediately after, Duryodhana, elated and foolish, imitates Bhīma’s lion-like gait to ridicule him as they leave the sabhā.