Shloka 16

कर्णभीमयुद्धम्

Karna–Bhīma Combat Report

Devanagari script

भीमसेनं तदा क्रुद्धं भीमरूपो भयानक: । प्रत्यवारयदायान्तमार्ष्यशृड्धिर्महारथ:,भयंकर रूपधारी एवं भयानक महारथी ऋष्यशुंग-कुमार अलम्बुषने उस समय क्रोधमें भरकर आते हुए भीमसेनको रोका

Transliteration

bhīmasenaṃ tadā kruddhaṃ bhīmarūpo bhayānakaḥ | pratyavārayad āyāntam ārṣyaśṛṅgir mahārathaḥ ||

Translation

ସେତେବେଳେ କ୍ରୋଧେ ଉଦ୍ଦୀପ୍ତ ଭୀମସେନ ଆଗକୁ ଧାଇଆସୁଥିବାବେଳେ, ଭୟଙ୍କର ରୂପ ଧାରଣ କରିଥିବା ମହାରଥୀ ଆର୍ଷ୍ୟଶୃଙ୍ଗି (ଋଷ୍ୟଶୃଙ୍ଗପୁତ୍ର ଅଲମ୍ବୁଷ) ତାଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରତିହତ କରି ରୋକିଦେଲା।

Word by Word

भीमसेनम्Bhimasena (Bhima)

तदाthen, at that time

क्रुद्धम्angry

भीमरूपःof terrible form

भयानकःfearsome

प्रत्यवारयत्checked, restrained, stopped

आयान्तम्coming, advancing

ऋष्यशृङ्गिःRishyaśṛṅgi (son of Ṛṣyaśṛṅga)

महारथःgreat chariot-warrior

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

Ārṣyaśṛṅgi (Alambuṣa, son of Ṛṣyaśṛṅga)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores a recurring ethical tension in the Mahābhārata’s war narrative: uncontrolled anger (krodha) propels action, but the battlefield also demands restraint, strategy, and counter-measures. Even immense strength like Bhīma’s can be checked when an opponent applies timely resistance; thus, power without composure is not automatically decisive.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīma, furious and advancing to attack, is intercepted and stopped by the great warrior Ārṣyaśṛṅgi—identified in many recensions/traditions with Alambuṣa, the son of Ṛṣyaśṛṅga—who takes on a terrifying form and blocks Bhīma’s onrush.