Shloka 20

Devanagari script

विक्रीडमानं कौन्तेयं हर्षण महता युतम्‌ । निहत्य तरसा शत्रुं महाबलसमन्वितम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | vikrīḍamānaṃ kaunteyaṃ harṣeṇa mahatā yutam | nihatya tarasā śatruṃ mahābalasamanvitam | niṣpāpa mahārāja |

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Ô grand roi sans tache, nous vîmes Bhīma, fils de Kuntī, exulter d’une joie puissante—comme s’il s’ébattait—après avoir promptement abattu un ennemi pourvu d’une grande force. Dans l’élan de la victoire sur le champ de bataille, son ardeur triomphale déborda en gestes de célébration, révélant comment le rude devoir de la guerre peut aussi allumer une farouche ivresse dans le cœur du guerrier.

Word by Word

• विक्रीडमानम्: sporting/playing, dancing (in joy)
• विक्रीडमानम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+क्रीड् (धातु) → क्रीडमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्), आत्मनेपद-भाव

• कौन्तेयम्: the son of Kunti (Bhima/Arjuna etc.)
• कौन्तेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• हर्षेण: with joy
• हर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महता: great, intense
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• युतम्: endowed/connected (with)
• युतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• निहत्य: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), पूर्वकाल

• तरसा: with speed/force
• तरसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शत्रुम्: enemy
• शत्रुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महाबलसमन्वितम्: endowed with great strength
• महाबलसमन्वितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल-समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• निष्पाप: O sinless one
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dhritarashtra
• Bhima (Bhimasena)
• Kunti
• enemy (unnamed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a moral tension within kshatriya-dharma: the warrior must perform violent duty in war, yet the mind can be swept by exhilaration after victory. It invites reflection on self-mastery—how righteous action in a grim context can still provoke intense emotion that must be understood and governed.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to King Dhritarashtra that Bhima, after swiftly killing a powerful enemy, is seen moving in exuberant celebration—'sporting' with great joy—on the battlefield.