Shloka 28
अर्जुनागमनम्
Arjuna’s Arrival and Reunion on the Sacred Mountain
द्रौपदीकी यह बात सुनकर परंतप महाबाहु भीमसेनने इसे अपने ऊपर आक्षेप हुआ-- सा समझा। जैसे अच्छा बैल अपने ऊपर चाबुककी मार नहीं सह सकता, उसी प्रकार यह आक्षेप उनसे नहीं सहा गया ।। सिंहर्षभगति: श्रीमानुदार: कनकप्रभ: । मनस्वी बलवान दृप्तो मानी शूरश्व॒ पाण्डव:,उनकी चाल श्रेष्ठ सिंहके समान थी। वे सुन्दर, उदार और कनकके समान कान्तिमान् थे। पाण्डुनन्दन भीम मनस्वी, बलवान, अभिमानी, मानी और शूरवीर थे
vaiśampāyana uvāca | draupadyā etad vacaḥ śrutvā parantapaḥ mahābāhuḥ bhīmasenaḥ etad ātmany ākṣepaṃ manyamānaḥ na soḍhum aśakat | yathā śreṣṭho vṛṣabhaḥ svaśarīre kaśāghātaṃ na sahate tathā sa ākṣepaḥ tena na sahitaḥ || siṃhavat gatiḥ śrīmān udāraḥ kanakaprabhaḥ | manasvī balavān dṛpto mānī śūraś ca pāṇḍavaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Hearing these words of Draupadī, the mighty-armed Bhīmasena—scorcher of foes—took them as a reproach directed at himself and could not endure it. Just as a fine bull cannot bear the lash striking his own body, so too he could not bear that insinuation. With a gait like a lion’s, he was splendid, generous, and radiant like gold; that Pāṇḍava Bhīma was high-spirited, strong, proud, self-respecting, and heroic.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the Kṣatriya sensitivity to honor: a noble warrior must be vigilant about reproach and motivated to uphold duty, yet the ethical challenge is to transform wounded pride into disciplined action rather than uncontrolled anger.
Draupadī’s words are heard by Bhīma, who interprets them as a pointed criticism of him. He cannot tolerate the implied reproach, and the text then intensifies his heroic portrait—lion-like, radiant, strong, proud, and valorous—setting the stage for his determined response.