Shloka 13
Vyāsa’s Vision, the Power of Bhāgavatam, and the Arrest of Aśvatthāmā
यदा मृधे कौरवसृञ्जयानां वीरेष्वथो वीरगतिं गतेषु । वृकोदराविद्धगदाभिमर्श- भग्नोरुदण्डे धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रे ॥ १३ ॥ भर्तु: प्रियं द्रौणिरिति स्म पश्यन् कृष्णासुतानां स्वपतां शिरांसि । उपाहरद्विप्रियमेव तस्य जुगुप्सितं कर्म विगर्हयन्ति ॥ १४ ॥
yadā mṛdhe kaurava-sṛñjayānāṁ vīreṣv atho vīra-gatiṁ gateṣu vṛkodarāviddha-gadābhimarśa- bhagnoru-daṇḍe dhṛtarāṣṭra-putre
Apabila dalam perang Kurukṣetra para pahlawan Kaurava dan Pāṇḍava gugur lalu mencapai tujuan masing-masing, dan putera Dhṛtarāṣṭra rebah merintih dengan paha patah dipukul gada Bhīmasena, maka Aśvatthāmā putera Droṇa, menyangka itu akan menyenangkan tuannya, memenggal kepala lima putera Draupadī yang sedang tidur lalu membawanya sebagai hadiah. Namun Duryodhana mengecam perbuatan keji itu dan langsung tidak berkenan.
Transcendental topics of the activities of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begin from the end of the battle at Kurukṣetra, where the Lord Himself spoke about Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore, both the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are transcendental topics of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The Gītā is kṛṣṇa-kathā, or topics of Kṛṣṇa, because it is spoken by the Lord, and the Bhāgavatam is also kṛṣṇa-kathā because it is spoken about the Lord. Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted everyone to be informed of both kṛṣṇa-kathās by His order. Lord Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa Himself in the garb of a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and therefore the versions of both Lord Kṛṣṇa and Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu are identical. Lord Caitanya desired that all who are born in India seriously understand such kṛṣṇa-kathās and then after full realization preach the transcendental message to everyone in all parts of the world. That will bring about the desired peace and prosperity of the stricken world.
FAQs
This verse recalls that Duryodhana, the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, fell on the battlefield with his thighs broken by Bhīma’s mace—marking the war’s grim conclusion for the Kuru leaders.
“Vṛkodara” is Bhīma’s epithet meaning “wolf-bellied,” highlighting his immense appetite and strength; the text uses such epithets to identify key warriors in the Kurukṣetra narration.
It underscores that unchecked pride and hostility culminate in ruin; cultivating humility and dharma-oriented choices prevents destructive outcomes in personal and social conflicts.