Shloka 21
Duryodhana-patana-anuśocana
The Fall of Duryodhana and the Contest of Restraint
धनंजयस्तु श्रुत्वैतत् केशवस्य महात्मन: । प्रेक्षतो भीमसेनस्य सव्यमूरूमताडयत्,महात्मा भगवान् केशवका यह वचन सुनकर अर्जुनने भीमसेनके देखते हुए अपनी बायीं जाँघको ठोंका
dhanañjayas tu śrutvैतat keśavasya mahātmanaḥ | prekṣato bhīmasenasya savya-mūrum atāḍayat ||
Hearing these words of the great-souled Keśava, Dhanañjaya (Arjuna), while Bhīmasena looked on, struck his left thigh—an emphatic gesture of resolve and provocation within the war’s charged moral atmosphere, signaling determination to fulfill the vow and intensify the confrontation.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how counsel from a trusted guide (Keśava) can crystallize a warrior’s resolve; in a dharmic crisis, intention and commitment are reinforced through public, accountable action—yet such gestures also carry ethical weight because they escalate hostility.
After hearing Keśava’s statement, Arjuna, in Bhīma’s presence, strikes his left thigh as a forceful sign of determination and challenge, underscoring the intensity of vows and the psychological warfare operating alongside physical combat.