Shloka 36

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं ब्रुवाणं भीम॑ तु धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिर: । उवाच सान्त्वयन्‌ राजा मूर्ध्न्युपात्राय पाण्डवम्‌,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! धर्मराज राजा युधिष्ठिरने उपर्युक्त बातें कहनेवाले पाण्डुनन्दन भीमसेनका मस्तक सूँधकर उन्हें सान्त्वना देते हुए कहा --

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ bhīmaṃ tu dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | uvāca sāntvayan rājā mūrdhny upāghrāya pāṇḍavam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: As Bhīma spoke in this manner, Dharma-rāja Yudhiṣṭhira addressed him. The king, seeking to console the Pāṇḍava, bent to smell (kiss) his head and spoke—an intimate gesture of affection meant to steady Bhīma’s turbulent emotions and restore him to dharmic composure.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

एवम्thus

ब्रुवाणम्speaking (one)

भीमम्Bhīma

तुbut/indeed

धर्मराजःDharma-rāja (king of righteousness)

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

उवाचsaid

सान्त्वयन्comforting/conciliating

राजाthe king

मूर्ध्निon the head

उपाघ्रायhaving smelled (near)/having sniffed

पाण्डवम्the Pāṇḍava (Bhīma)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya

Yudhiṣṭhira

Bhīma

Pāṇḍu

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?

Even when strong emotions arise, dharma is upheld through compassionate restraint: Yudhiṣṭhira responds to Bhīma not with escalation but with calming affection and measured speech, modeling ethical leadership and fraternal care.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Bhīma has spoken intensely, Yudhiṣṭhira comforts him. The king affectionately smells/kisses Bhīma’s head (upāghrāya mūrdhni) and then speaks to soothe him, as narrated by Vaiśampāyana to King Janamejaya.