Shloka 22
Adhyāya 110: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament on Fate; Saṃjaya’s Reproof and the Princes’ Assault on Bhīma (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय ११०)
राजन्! काले काजलके ढेरके समान वह राक्षस बहुत-से बाणोंद्वारा सब ओरसे घायल होकर लहूलुहान हो खिले हुए पलाशके वृक्षके समान सुशोभित होने लगा ।। स वध्यमान: समरे भीमचापच्युतै: शरै: । स्मरन् भ्रातृवधं चैव पाण्डवेन महात्मना
sañjaya uvāca | rājan! kāle kājalaka-ḍheraka-samānaḥ sa rākṣasaḥ bahubhiḥ bāṇaiḥ sarvataḥ ghāto bhūtvā lohitāṅgaḥ prasphuṭita-palāśa-vṛkṣa iva suśobhitum ārabdhavān || sa vadhyamānaḥ samare bhīma-cāpa-cyutaiḥ śaraiḥ | smaran bhrātṛ-vadhaṃ caiva pāṇḍavena mahātmanā ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, rākṣasa itu—gelap laksana timbunan celak hitam—terhujam banyak anak panah dari segala arah. Berlumuran darah, ia tampak justru cemerlang, bagaikan pohon palāśa yang sedang mekar. Meski sedang ditebas habis di medan laga oleh panah-panah yang dilepaskan dari busur Bhīma, ia terus mengingat pembunuhan saudaranya oleh Pāṇḍava yang berhati luhur, meneguhkan batin pada dendam.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, even noble qualities can be eclipsed by grief and vengeance: the rākṣasa’s remembrance of his brother’s death fuels his resolve, showing how personal loss perpetuates cycles of violence and moral deterioration.
Sañjaya describes a rākṣasa warrior being pierced on all sides by arrows shot from Bhīma’s bow. Though bleeding heavily, he appears striking—likened to a palāśa tree in bloom—while he continues fighting, consumed by the memory of his brother’s killing by a Pāṇḍava.