Shloka 188

समन्तपञ्चक-आख्यानम् तथा अक्षौहिणी-प्रमाणनिर्णयः

Samantapañcaka Narrative and the Measure of an Akṣauhiṇī

Devanagari script

भीमस्य ग्रहणं चात्र पर्वताभोगवर्ष्मणा । भुजगेन्द्रेण बलिना तस्मिन्‌ सुगहने वने,फिर एक बीहड़ वनमें पर्वतके समान विशाल शरीरधारी बलवान्‌ अजगरने भीमसेनको पकड़ लिया

Transliteration

bhīmasya grahaṇaṃ cātra parvatābhogavarṣmaṇā | bhujagendreṇa balinā tasmin sugahane vane ||

Translation

त्या घनदाट व दुर्गम वनात पर्वतासारख्या विशाल देहधारी बलवान् नागराजाने भीमसेनाला पकडले।

Word by Word

भीमस्यof Bhima

ग्रहणम्seizure, capture

चand

अत्रhere

पर्वताभोगवर्ष्मणाby (one) whose body is like a mountain in bulk

भुजगेन्द्रेणby the lord of serpents (great serpent)

बलिनाby the strong (one)

तस्मिन्in that

सुगहनेvery dense, impenetrable

वनेin the forest

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīma (Bhīmasena)

Bhujagendra (great serpent/ajagara)

Dense forest (sugahana vana)

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?

Physical might alone is not sufficient; sudden adversity can overpower even the strongest. The ethical emphasis is on composure, humility, and seeking wise means (dharma-guided response) when confronted by unexpected danger.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a thick, hard-to-traverse forest, a gigantic and powerful serpent (bhujagendra/ajagara), mountain-like in size, catches and restrains Bhīma.