Shloka 20
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 50 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Bhīmasena (भीमसेनभयवर्णनम्)
जवेन वाजिनोडत्येति बलेनात्येति कुज्जरान् | अव्यक्तजल्पी मध्वक्षो मध्यम: पाण्डवो बली
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | javena vājino ’tyeti balenātyeti kuñjarān | avyaktajalpī madhvakṣo madhyamaḥ pāṇḍavo balī ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra berkata: “Dengan kecepatannya ia melampaui kuda-kuda, dan dengan kekuatannya ia menundukkan gajah-gajah. Pāṇḍava yang tengah itu mahaperkasa; ucapannya kurang jelas, dan matanya tampak berwarna madu.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how extraordinary physical power and distinctive traits shape a warrior’s reputation; it implicitly warns that such strength becomes ethically decisive only when guided by dharma, since raw might alone can serve either justice or destruction.
In Udyoga Parva, as war approaches, Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks about the Pāṇḍavas’ capabilities; here he describes the ‘middle Pāṇḍava’ (Bhīma) as exceptionally swift and strong, with indistinct speech and honey-colored eyes.