Shloka 16

Devanagari script

भीमसेनादिभिरवर्वरिर््रातृभि: परिवारित: । बाढमित्यब्रवीत्‌ सर्वास्तानृषीन्‌ पाण्डवर्षभ:

Transliteration

bhīmasenādibhir bhrātṛbhiḥ parivāritaḥ | bāḍham ity abravīt sarvās tān ṛṣīn pāṇḍavarṣabhaḥ ||

Translation

Surrounded by his brothers—Bhīmasena and the rest—the bull among the Pāṇḍavas replied to all those sages, “So be it.” In the presence of holy seers, he gives a measured assent, showing respect for spiritual counsel and readiness to act in accordance with righteous guidance.

Word by Word

भीमसेनादिभिःby Bhimasena and others

वरवरैःby the best of the best (excellent)

भ्रातृभिःby (his) brothers

परिवारितःsurrounded

बाढम्certainly / indeed

इतिthus

अब्रवीत्said / spoke

सर्वान्all

तान्those

ऋषीन्sages

पाण्डवर्षभःthe bull among the Pandavas (best of the Pandavas)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Bhīmasena

Pāṇḍavarṣabha (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Pāṇḍava brothers

Ṛ

Ṛṣis (sages)

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 dharmic conduct: a leader, supported by his kin, responds to spiritual authorities with respectful assent, indicating humility, receptivity to wise counsel, and commitment to act rightly.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that the foremost Pāṇḍava, surrounded by Bhīma and his other brothers, answers the assembled sages with “bāḍham” (“certainly/so be it”), signaling agreement with what the sages have said or requested.