Shloka 52

Devanagari script

धावतस्तस्य वीरस्य मृगार्थ वातरंहस: । ऊरुवातविनिर्भग्ना ट्रुमा व्यावर्जिता: पथि,वायुके समान वेगशाली वीरवर भीमसेनके शिकारके लिये दौड़नेपर मार्गमें उनकी जाँघोंके आघातसे टूटकर पड़े हुए बहुत-से वृक्ष दिखायी दिये

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | dhāvatas tasya vīrasya mṛgārthaṃ vātarāṃhasaḥ | ūrūvātavinirbhagnā drumā vyāvartitāḥ pathi ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: As that heroic Bhīmasena, swift as the wind, ran in pursuit of game, many trees were seen along the path—broken by the impact of his thighs and flung aside. The scene underscores his extraordinary strength and the untamed force with which he moved through the forest while hunting.

Word by Word

धावतःof (him) running

तस्यof that (man), his

वीरस्यof the hero

मृगार्थेfor the sake of game (hunting)

वातरंहसःof wind-speed, swift as the wind

ऊरुवातविनिर्भग्नाःbroken by the thigh-blows

द्रुमाःtrees

व्यावर्जिताःturned aside / pushed away

पथिon the path

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhīmasena

mṛga (game/animals)

druma (trees)

patha (forest path)

vāyu/vāta (wind)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the sheer, almost elemental power of Bhīma—strength that can clear obstacles effortlessly. Ethically, it also frames how kṣatriya energy, when directed (here toward hunting in the forest), manifests as decisive action and dominance over the environment; it invites reflection on restraint and purpose in the use of power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīmasena is running swiftly through the forest to hunt game. As he charges forward, trees along the path are broken by the force of his movement and knocked aside, showing his exceptional might and speed.