Shloka 16

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 50 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Bhīmasena (भीमसेनभयवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

येन भीमबला यक्षा राक्षसाश्न पुरा हता:

Transliteration

yena bhīmabalā yakṣā rākṣasāś ca purā hatāḥ

Translation

ധൃതരാഷ്ട്രൻ പറഞ്ഞു—അവന്റെ ഭീമബലത്താൽ പൂർവകാലത്ത് യക്ഷന്മാരും രാക്ഷസന്മാരും വധിക്കപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• येन: by whom/with whom
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भीमबलाः: of terrible strength (mighty)
• भीमबलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीमबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यक्षाः: Yakshas
• यक्षाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राक्षसाः: Rakshasas
• राक्षसाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

• हताः: were slain/killed
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: kta (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural, passive/resultative

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Yakṣas
• Rākṣasas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores prudent judgment in governance: past demonstrations of extraordinary force should inform present decisions, especially when choices may lead to war and widespread harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra recalls an earlier episode in which a powerful figure (implicitly a Pandava warrior renowned for strength) killed formidable Yakṣas and Rākṣasas, using that memory to assess the danger and stakes of the unfolding conflict.