Shloka 33

अध्याय ८८ — घटोत्कच-दुर्योधनयुद्धवर्णनम्

Ghaṭotkaca–Duryodhana Engagement

Devanagari script

अचिन्तयित्वा स शरांस्तरस्वी वृकोदर: क्रोधपरीतचेता:

Transliteration

acintayitvā sa śarāṁs tarasvī vṛkodaraḥ krodhaparītacetāḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: Without pausing to reflect, the mighty Vṛkodara—his mind overwhelmed by anger—(took up and discharged) his arrows, driven by impetuous wrath rather than measured deliberation, showing how fury can eclipse restraint amid the pressures of war.

Word by Word

• अचिन्तयित्वा: having not thought (about)
• अचिन्तयित्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (चिन्तयति)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि, —, —, —

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तरस्वी: swift/impetuous, vigorous
• तरस्वी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तरस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृकोदरः: Vṛkodara (Bhīma; lit. 'wolf-bellied')
• वृकोदरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृकोदर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रोधपरीतचेताḥ: whose mind was overcome by anger
• क्रोधपरीतचेताḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोधपरीतचेतस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Vṛkodara (Bhīma)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights a moral-psychological warning: when anger seizes the mind, discernment and restraint are eclipsed, and action becomes impulsive. In the epic’s ethical frame, even justified martial energy should ideally be governed by buddhi (clear judgment), not krodha (wrath).

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīma (Vṛkodara) in the midst of battle: he does not pause to consider and, with great force, releases arrows while his mind is overtaken by anger—portraying the intensity and volatility of the combat scene.