Shloka 43

Duryodhana-patana-anuśocana

The Fall of Duryodhana and the Contest of Restraint

Devanagari script

राजन! तदनन्तर दो घड़ी सुस्ताकर प्रतापी भीमसेनने निकट आये हुए दुर्योधनपर बड़े वेगसे आक्रमण किया ।। तमापततन्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य संरब्धभमितौजसम्‌ । मोघमस्य प्रहारं त॑ं चिकीर्षुर्भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ] अमिततेजस्वी भीमको रोषपूर्वक धावा करते देख आपके पुत्रने उनके उस प्रहारको व्यर्थ कर देनेकी इच्छा की

Transliteration

tam āpatatantaṁ samprekṣya saṁrabdham amitaujasam | mogham asya prahāraṁ taṁ cikīrṣur bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

Seeing Bhīma—of immeasurable might—charging in with blazing wrath, Duryodhana, O bull among the Bharatas, resolved to render that oncoming blow futile. In the thick of battle, he sought to neutralize the strike before it could land, meeting force with calculated defense.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'tam', 'definition': 'him (Bhīma)'}, {'term': 'āpatatantam', 'definition': 'rushing/falling upon

• charging toward (accusative singular, present participle)'}, {'term': 'samprekṣya', 'definition': 'having seen

• observing'}, {'term': 'saṁrabdham', 'definition': 'enraged

• fiercely intent'}, {'term': 'amitaujasam', 'definition': 'of immeasurable vigor/energy

• exceedingly powerful'}, {'term': 'mogham', 'definition': 'fruitless

• in vain'}, {'term': 'asya', 'definition': 'of him

• his'}, {'term': 'prahāram', 'definition': 'blow

• attack'}, {'term': 'cikīrṣuḥ', 'definition': 'wishing/intending to do (desiderative sense)'}, {'term': 'bharatarṣabha', 'definition': 'O bull of the Bharatas (honorific address to the listener)'}]

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Duryodhana
• Bharata (dynastic epithet: Bharatarṣabha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid righteous warfare, raw fury (saṁrabdha) must be met with discernment and strategy; the verse highlights how power alone is not decisive—timely counteraction can make a mighty blow ‘mogha’ (ineffective).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīma charges at Duryodhana in anger, poised to strike. Duryodhana, seeing the attack coming, intends to neutralize or deflect the blow so it does not achieve its purpose.