Shloka 18
Gandhamādana-praveśa and Vṛṣaparvan-āśrama
Entry toward Gandhamādana; hospitality and onward route
ते तं तदा तोमरपट्टिशाद्यि- व्यविद्धशस्त्रै: सहसा निपेतु: । जिघांसव: क्रोधवशा: सुभीमा भीम॑ समन्तात् परिवद्रुरुग्रा:,यह देख वे भयंकर क्रोधवश नामक राक्षस भीमसेनको मार डालनेकी इच्छासे शत्रुओंके शस्त्रोंको नष्ट कर देनेवाले तोमर, पट्टिश आदि आयुधोंको लेकर सहसा उनकी ओर दौड़े और उन्हें चारों ओरसे घेरकर खड़े हो गये। वे सब-के-सब बड़े उग्र स्वभावके थे। इधर भीमसेन कुन्तीदेवीके गर्भसे वायु देवताके द्वारा उत्पन्न होनेके कारण बड़े बलवान, शूरवीर, वेगशाली एवं शत्रुओंका वध करनेमें समर्थ थे। वे सदा ही सत्य एवं धर्ममें रत थे। पराक्रमी तो वे ऐसे थे कि अनेक शत्रु मिलकर भी उन्हें परास्त नहीं कर सकते थे
te taṃ tadā tomarapaṭṭiśādyair vyaviddhaśastraiḥ sahasā nipetuḥ | jighāṃsavaḥ krodhavaśāḥ subhīmā bhīmaṃ samantāt parivadrur ugrāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Then, driven by wrath and intent on killing Bhīma, those exceedingly fearsome and fierce ones suddenly rushed upon him from all sides, surrounding him, armed with tomara-javelins, paṭṭiśa-battle-axes, and other weapons—missiles and blades meant to pierce and destroy. The scene sets Bhīma against a ring of enraged attackers, highlighting the ethical contrast between blind, anger-driven violence and the steadfast strength of a righteous warrior who does not yield to fear.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts anger-driven aggression (krodhavaśāḥ, jighāṃsavaḥ) with the implied ideal of disciplined valor: in epic ethics, wrath clouds judgment and leads to reckless violence, while true strength is steadiness under pressure and adherence to dharma even amid combat.
A group of extremely fierce attackers, intent on killing Bhīma, rush at him with heavy weapons like tomara-javelins and paṭṭiśa-axes, then encircle him from all sides, setting up a confrontation where Bhīma must face a coordinated assault.