Shloka 27

Droṇa Encircled at Night: Coalition Advance and Battlefield Omens (द्रोणपर्यावरणं रात्रियुद्धवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

बद्धगोधाडूगुलित्राण: प्रगृहीतशरासन: । ज्येछ्ेन प्रहितो क्रात्रा भ्राता भ्रातुः प्रियंकर:,राजन! इस प्रकार 'जाओ, जाओ' कहकर बड़े भाईके आज्ञा देनेपर उदरमें वृक नामक अग्निको धारण करनेवाले प्रतापी पाण्डुपुत्र भीमसेन गोहके चमड़ेके बने हुए दस्ताने पहनकर हाथमें धनुष ले वहाँसे जानेके लिये तैयार हुए। वे भाईका प्रिय करनेवाले भाई थे और बड़े भाईके भेजनेसे ही वहाँसे जानेको उद्यत हुए थे

Transliteration

baddhagodhāḍūgulitrāṇaḥ pragṛhītaśarāsanaḥ | jyeṣṭhena prahito krātrā bhrātā bhrātuḥ priyaṅkaraḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Bhīmasena, le puissant fils de Pāṇḍu — portant en lui le feu nommé Vṛka — attacha des gants faits de peau d’iguane et, saisissant son arc, se tint prêt à partir. Envoyé par son frère aîné, il s’en alla résolu à accomplir le vœu de son frère, lui qui toujours réjouissait son frère.

Word by Word

बद्धbound, fastened

गोधाof an iguana (godhā)

अङ्गुलित्राणःfinger-guard, glove

प्रगृहीतhaving taken up, grasped

शरासनःbow

ज्येष्ठेनby the eldest (brother)

प्रहितःsent, dispatched

क्रात्राby/with (uncertain; text corrupt/variant)

भ्राताbrother

भ्रातुःof (his) brother

प्रियंकरःdoing what is pleasing; dear-doer

राजन्O king

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

Pāṇḍu

elder brother (Yudhiṣṭhira, implied by jyeṣṭha)

Vṛka (as a named inner fire/energy)

bow (śarāsana)

iguana-hide gloves/finger-guards (godhā-aṅgulitrāṇa)

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 disciplined loyalty within dharma: Bhīma’s strength is framed not as mere aggression but as service—he arms himself and moves only when commissioned by his elder brother, showing restraint, respect for hierarchy, and commitment to fulfilling a righteous command.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīma preparing for action: he puts on protective archery gear (iguana-hide finger-guards/gloves), takes up his bow, and sets out because his elder brother has ordered/sent him, emphasizing Bhīma’s readiness and fraternal devotion.