Shloka 3

Devanagari script

अर्जुन उवाच य एष बल्‍लतवो ब्रूते सूदस्तव नराधिप । एष भीमो महाराज भीमवेगपराक्रम:,अर्जुन बोले--महाराज! ये जो बलल्‍लवनामधारी आपके रसोइये हैं, ये ही भयंकर वेग और पराक्रमवाले भीमसेन हैं

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | ya eṣa ballavo brūte sūdastava narādhipa | eṣa bhīmo mahārāja bhīmavega-parākramaḥ ||

Translation

Arjuna dit : «Ô roi, celui qu’on nomme Ballava, ton cuisinier—lui, grand roi, c’est Bhīma en personne, renommé pour une vitesse redoutable et une vaillance héroïque.»

Word by Word

अर्जुनःArjuna

उवाचsaid

यःwho

एषःthis (man)

बल्लवःBallava (name/guise)

त्वम्you

ब्रूतेspeaks / says

सूदःcook

तवyour

नराधिपO king (lord of men)

एषःthis (man)

भीमःBhima

महाराजO great king

भीमवेगपराक्रमःof terrible speed and prowess

Speaker

अर्जुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Ballava

Bhima

Virata (implied by narādhipa/mahārāja in context)

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 discernment and truthful disclosure used at the right moment: extraordinary strength and virtue may remain concealed under humble roles, yet dharma requires that identity and capability be revealed when it serves rightful protection and order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna informs King Virata that the palace cook known as Ballava is actually Bhima in disguise, emphasizing Bhima’s fearsome speed and prowess as part of the Pandavas’ revelation during the Virata episode.