Shloka 35

Devanagari script

ततस्तद्‌ विद्रुतं सैन्यमपयाते जयद्रथे । आदिदश्यादिश्य नाराचैराजघान वृकोदर:,जयद्रथके भाग जानेपर सारी सेना इधर-उधर भाग चली, परंतु भीमसेन अपने नाराचोंद्वारा नाम बता-बताकर उन सैनिकोंका वध करने लगे

Transliteration

tatas tad vidrutaṃ sainyam apayāte jayadrathe | ādiśyādiśya nārācair ājaghāna vṛkodaraḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: When Jayadratha had withdrawn, that routed army scattered in flight. Then Vṛkodara (Bhīma), calling out and identifying his targets, struck them down with nārāca arrows—an act that underscores the grim ethics of battle: once the aggressor retreats, panic spreads, and the warrior’s fury turns into relentless retribution against the fleeing ranks.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

तत्that (it/that situation)

विद्रुतम्fled, scattered

सैन्यम्army

अपयातेwhen (he) had departed/retreated

जयद्रथेin/when Jayadratha (had gone)

आदिदश्यhaving indicated/pointed out

आदिश्यhaving named/assigned (calling out)

नाराचैःwith iron arrows (narācas)

आजघानstruck, slew

वृकोदरःVṛkodara (Bhīma)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Jayadratha

Vṛkodara (Bhīma)

nārāca (arrows)

sainyam (army)

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 harsh momentum of war: when a leader retreats, morale collapses and the routed force becomes vulnerable. It also reflects kṣatriya-battle ethos—Bhīma’s decisive, targeted retaliation against hostile troops, emphasizing resolve and the consequences of aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Jayadratha departs/withdraws, and his army breaks formation and runs in different directions. Bhīma (Vṛkodara) then attacks the fleeing soldiers, identifying them as he shoots, and kills many with nārāca arrows.