Shloka 96

Arjuna’s Account of Tapas and the Kirāta Test; Revelation of Maheśvara and the Grant of the Pāśupata-Astra

Devanagari script

निर्भयो भीमसेनो<यं तं शाधि पुरुषर्षभ । सब प्रकारकी (सांसारिक) सामर्थ्यके इच्छुक मनुष्योंका निश्चय पापपूर्ण होता है। पुरुषरत्न युधिष्ठिर! ये भीमसेन धर्मको नहीं जानते, इन्हें अपने बलका बड़ा अभिमान है इनकी बुद्धि अभी बालकोंकी-सी है तथा ये अत्यन्त क्रोधी और निर्भय हैं, अतः तुम इन्हें उपदेश देकर काबूमें रखो

Transliteration

nirbhayo bhīmaseno 'yaṃ taṃ śādhi puruṣarṣabha | sarva-prakārakī (sāṃsārika) sāmarthyecchukānāṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ niścayaḥ pāpapūrṇo bhavati | puruṣaratna yudhiṣṭhira! eṣa bhīmaseno dharmaṃ na jānāti, asya balasya mahān abhimānaḥ | asya buddhiḥ adhunā bālakānām iva, sa ca atyanta-krodhī nirbhayaś ca | ataḥ tvaṃ enam upadiśya vaśe kuru ||

Translation

Dhanada said: “This Bhīmasena is fearless; restrain and instruct him, O bull among men. The resolve of those who crave every kind of worldly power tends toward sin. O jewel among men, Yudhiṣṭhira—Bhīma does not truly understand dharma; he is greatly proud of his strength. His judgment is still childlike, and he is exceedingly wrathful and without fear. Therefore, counsel him and keep him under control.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'nirbhayaḥ', 'definition': 'fearless

• without apprehension (often implying rashness when unchecked)'}, {'term': 'bhīmasenaḥ', 'definition': 'Bhīma, son of Vāyu

• the strong Pāṇḍava'}, {'term': 'śādhi (√śās)', 'definition': 'instruct, discipline, restrain

• govern by counsel and rule'}, {'term': 'puruṣarṣabha', 'definition': 'bull among men

• an epithet for a foremost hero/king'}, {'term': 'sāṃsārika', 'definition': 'worldly

• pertaining to saṃsāra and temporal life'}, {'term': 'sāmarthya', 'definition': 'power, capability, might

• capacity to accomplish'}, {'term': 'icchuka', 'definition': 'desirous of

• one who seeks'}, {'term': 'niścayaḥ', 'definition': 'resolve, determination, settled intention'}, {'term': 'pāpapūrṇaḥ', 'definition': 'filled with sin

• morally tainted'}, {'term': 'dharmaṃ na jānāti', 'definition': 'does not know/understand dharma

• lacks discernment of right conduct'}, {'term': 'abhimānaḥ', 'definition': 'pride, self-conceit

• inflated sense of self'}, {'term': 'bālakavat', 'definition': 'like a child

• immature in judgment'}, {'term': 'atyanta-krodhī', 'definition': 'excessively wrathful

• prone to anger'}, {'term': 'upadiśya', 'definition': 'having instructed

• by giving counsel/teaching'}, {'term': 'vaśe kuru', 'definition': 'bring under control

Speaker

धनद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhanada (Kubera)
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Unchecked desire for worldly power and the pride that follows can corrupt one’s resolve; therefore, strength must be governed by dharma, counsel, and self-restraint—especially in a leader or warrior prone to anger.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhanada addresses Yudhiṣṭhira, warning him about Bhīma’s fearless, anger-driven temperament and urging Yudhiṣṭhira to instruct and restrain Bhīma so that his strength does not turn into adharmic action.