Shloka 18

Devanagari script

तथैव भीमसेनस्य द्विषताभिहता गदा । वर्षाप्रदोषे खद्योतैर्व॒तो वृक्ष इवाबभौ,इसी प्रकार शत्रुके आघात करनेपर भीमसेनकी गदा भी चिनगारियाँ छोड़ती हुई वर्षाकालकी संध्याकें समय जुगनुओंसे जगमगाते हुए वृक्षकी भाँति शोभा पाने लगी

Transliteration

tathaiva bhīmasenasya dviṣatābhihatā gadā | varṣāpradoṣe khadyotair vṛto vṛkṣa ivābabhau ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: In the same way, Bhīmasena’s mace, when struck against the foe, began to shine as it threw off sparks—like a tree in the rainy season at twilight, surrounded by flickering fireflies. The image heightens the grim splendor of battle: even instruments of violence appear radiant, while the warriors’ prowess and resolve drive the conflict onward.

Word by Word

तथाthus, in the same way

एवindeed, just

भीमसेनस्यof Bhimasena

द्विषताby an enemy

अभिहताstruck, smitten

गदाmace

वर्षा-प्रदोषेat the dusk in the rainy season

खद्योतैःwith fireflies

वृतःsurrounded

वृक्षःtree

इवlike, as if

आबभौshone, appeared splendid

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīmasena

enemy/foe (dviṣat)

gadā (mace)

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 is primarily descriptive rather than doctrinal: it shows how war can cloak violence in dazzling beauty, reminding the reader to distinguish poetic splendor from the ethical weight of destruction, even when performed as a warrior’s duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīma’s mace during combat: as it strikes the enemy it emits sparks, and its glow is compared to a tree at rainy-season twilight lit up by surrounding fireflies.