ततो भीमो दृढक्रोधो द्रोणस्याश्शलिष्य तं रथम् । शनकैरिव राजेन्द्र द्रोणं वचनमत्रवीत्,राजेन्द्र! तब अपने क्रोधको दृढ़तापूर्वक बनाये रखनेवाले भीमसेन द्रोणाचार्यके उस रथसे सटकर उनसे धीरे-धीरे इस प्रकार बोले--
tato bhīmo dṛḍhakrodho droṇasyāśśaliṣya taṁ ratham | śanakair iva rājendra droṇaṁ vacanam abravīt ||
Sañjaya dit : Alors Bhīma, la colère tenue d’une poigne ferme, s’approcha au plus près, roulant à hauteur du char de Droṇa. Ô roi, comme avec une lenteur mesurée, il s’adressa à Droṇa en paroles mûrement pesées—au cœur du carnage, où la parole elle-même devient une arme et une épreuve de volonté.
संजय उवाच
Even in the extremity of battle, intention and speech matter: controlled pacing (śanakaiḥ) and deliberate address show that ethical pressure, persuasion, or psychological strategy can accompany physical combat. The verse highlights how inner states (dṛḍhakrodha) shape outward action, making self-mastery and moral discernment crucial amid violence.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīma, burning with steady anger, moves his chariot close to Droṇa’s chariot and begins to speak to him slowly and pointedly. The verse sets up an ensuing exchange where Bhīma’s words are poised to influence the immediate course of the fight and the moral atmosphere of the episode.