Shloka 40

Chapter 137: Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki) Slays Somadatta; Yudhiṣṭhira Redirected from Droṇa

Devanagari script

त॑ भीमसेन: संरम्भात्‌ क्रोधसंरक्तलोचन: । विस्फार्य सुमहच्चापं मुहुः कर्णमवैक्षत,इधर क्रोधसे लाल आँखें किये भीमसेन भी अपने विशाल धनुषको फैलाकर कर्णकी ओर रोषपूर्वक बारंबार देखने लगे

Transliteration

taṁ bhīmasenaḥ saṁrambhāt krodha-saṁrakta-locanaḥ | visphārya sumahac cāpaṁ muhuḥ karṇam avaikṣata ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then Bhīmasena, driven by impetuous fury, his eyes reddened with anger, stretched his exceedingly great bow and again and again looked toward Karṇa with wrath—signaling his resolve to confront him in the righteous yet terrible order of war.

Word by Word

सःhe (that one)

भीमसेनःBhimasena

संरम्भात्from impetuosity / agitation

क्रोध-संरक्त-लोचनःwhose eyes were reddened with anger

विस्फार्यhaving stretched / having drawn (wide)

सुमहत्-चापम्a very great bow

मुहुःagain and again / repeatedly

कर्णम्Karna

अवैक्षतlooked at / kept looking at

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

Karṇa

bow (cāpa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how intense anger can drive action in war; yet within the epic’s ethical frame, a warrior’s resolve must be governed by kṣatriya-dharma—courage and steadfastness—while recognizing that uncontrolled wrath risks clouding judgment and deepening violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīma, provoked and enraged, draws his massive bow and repeatedly fixes his gaze on Karṇa, indicating an imminent challenge and the sharpening of hostilities between major champions on the battlefield.