Shloka 21

Somadatta’s Kṣātra-Dharma Accusation; Night Combat, Māyā, and the Fall of Ghaṭotkaca

Droṇa-parva, Adhyāya 131

Devanagari script

प्रहस्य भीमसेनो<पि कर्ण प्रत्याद्रवद्‌ रणे

Transliteration

prahasya bhīmaseno 'pi karṇa pratyādravad raṇe

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Bhīmasena pun ketawa lantang, lalu menyerbu kembali ke arah Karṇa di medan perang.

Word by Word

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• प्रहस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रहस् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थे अव्ययभावः), कर्तरि, पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done)

• भीमसेनः: Bhimasena (Bhima)
• भीमसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• कर्ण: O Karna
• कर्ण: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रत्याद्रवत्: ran back/charged back (towards)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-आ-√द्रु (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Karṇa
• raṇa (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of meeting aggression without retreat: courage, readiness, and a steady mind even amid danger. Bhīma’s laughter signals confidence and refusal to be morally or psychologically intimidated in the righteous struggle of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma, laughing, rushes back toward Karṇa in the midst of battle—indicating a renewed engagement or counter-charge against Karṇa after an exchange of attacks.