Shloka 54

Droṇa’s Ācārya-Dakṣiṇā: Capture of Drupada and Division of Pāñcāla (द्रोण-आचार्यदक्षिणा)

Devanagari script

ततो बद्ध्वा लतापाशैर्भीम॑ दुर्योधन: स्वयम्‌ | मृतकल्पं तदा वीर॑ स्थलाज्जलमपातयत्‌

Transliteration

tato baddhvā latāpāśair bhīmaṃ duryodhanaḥ svayam | mṛtakalpaṃ tadā vīraṃ sthalāj jalam apātayat ||

Translation

Kemudian Duryodhana sendiri mengikat Bhīma dengan ketat menggunakan jerat daripada sulur-sulur menjalar. Ketika wira itu sudah seperti mayat, dia mencampakkannya dari tebing tinggi ke dalam air (Sungai Gaṅgā).

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: indeclinable (ablatival adverb)

• बद्ध्वा: having bound
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध्
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वा), from धातु बन्ध्

• लतापाशैः: with creeper-ropes (nooses made of creepers)
• लतापाशैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लतापाश
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• भीमम्: Bhima
• भीमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• स्वयम्: himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्
• Form: indeclinable

• मृतकल्पम्: as if dead, like a corpse
• मृतकल्पम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृतकल्प
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा
• Form: indeclinable

• वीरम्: the hero (Bhima)
• वीरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• स्थलात्: from the bank/ground
• स्थलात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थल
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

• जलम्: into the water
• जलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अपातयत्: caused to fall, threw down
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: imperfect (लङ्), causative (णिच्), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīma
• Duryodhana
• Gaṅgā (implied by context: river/bank)
• latā-pāśa (creeper-noose)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical collapse that fuels the epic’s conflict: envy and fear lead Duryodhana to attempt harm through deceit rather than righteous confrontation, marking a clear movement toward adharma and its consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

After rendering Bhīma helpless (contextually, following earlier treachery), Duryodhana personally ties him with creeper-nooses and throws him from the riverbank into the water, intending his death.