Shloka 4

Pāṇḍava-senā-niryāṇa and Vyūha-vibhāga (पाण्डवसेनानिर्याण तथा व्यूहविभाग)

Devanagari script

अवाक्‌शिरा भीमसेन: समुदैक्षत केशवम्‌ | नेत्राभ्यां लोहितान्ताभ्यामाशीविष इव श्वसन्‌

Transliteration

avākśirā bhīmasenaḥ samudaikṣata keśavam | netrābhyāṃ lohitāntābhyām āśīviṣa iva śvasan |

Translation

भीमसेन मान खाली घालून केशवाकडे पाहू लागला. विषधर सर्पासारखा फुसफुसत, डोळ्यांच्या कडा लाल झालेल्या नेत्रांनी तो श्वास घेत होता.

Word by Word

• अवाक्शिराः: with head bent down
• अवाक्शिराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवाक्शिरस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भीमसेनः: Bhimasena
• भीमसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समुदैक्षत: looked at, beheld
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उद् + ईक्ष्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular

• केशवम्: Keshava (Krishna)
• केशवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नेत्राभ्याम्: with (his) two eyes
• नेत्राभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Dual

• लोहितान्ताभ्याम्: having red ends/corners (i.e., red-rimmed)
• लोहितान्ताभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोहितान्त
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Dual

• आशीविषः: a venomous serpent
• आशीविषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशीविष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• श्वसन्: breathing, hissing
• श्वसन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्वस्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights controlled wrath and readiness: intense emotion is present, yet it is held within discipline and directed toward rightful action under wise leadership (Keśava), a key ethical tension in the lead-up to war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīma’s physical and emotional state—head lowered, breathing like a venomous serpent, eyes red-rimmed—as he stares at Kṛṣṇa, signaling mounting anger and determination in the Udyoga Parva’s pre-battle deliberations.