Shloka 29

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 50 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Bhīmasena (भीमसेनभयवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

गदां भ्रामयतस्तस्य भिन्दतो हस्तिमस्तकान्‌ । सृक्किणी लेलिहानस्य बाष्पमुत्सूजतो मुहुः

Transliteration

gadāṁ bhrāmayatas tasya bhindato hastimastakān | sṛkkiṇī lelihānasya bāṣpam utsṛjato muhuḥ ||

Translation

ସେ ଗଦା ଘୁମାଇ ହାତୀମାନଙ୍କ ମସ୍ତକ ଭେଦିବାକୁ ଲାଗିଲେ; କ୍ରୋଧଜନିତ ଅଶ୍ରୁ ବାରମ୍ବାର ଝରାଇ, ଓଷ୍ଠପ୍ରାନ୍ତ ଚାଟି, ଅଗ୍ନି ସମ ପ୍ରଜ୍ୱଲିତ ହେଲେ—ତେବେ ମୋ ପୁଅମାନେ ତାଙ୍କ ହାତରୁ କିପରି ବଞ୍ଚିବେ?

Word by Word

• गदाम्: mace
• गदाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• भ्रामयतः: of (him) whirling
• भ्रामयतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रामय् (भ्रम् + णिच्)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• भिन्दतः: of (him) splitting
• भिन्दतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• हस्ति-मस्तकान्: elephants' heads
• हस्ति-मस्तकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्ति-मस्तक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सृक्किणी: the two corners of the mouth / lips
• सृक्किणी: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृक्किणी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Dual

• लेलिहानस्य: of (him) licking repeatedly
• लेलिहानस्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: लेलिहान (√लिह्)
• Form: Present active participle (शानच्; intensive/reduplicated sense), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• बाष्पम्: tears
• बाष्पम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाष्प
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उत्सृजतः: of (him) letting out / shedding
• उत्सृजतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√सृज्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• मुहुः: again and again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः
• Form: Adverb

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Bhīmasena
• gadā (mace)
• elephants (hastin)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons (Kauravas, implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral psychology of impending war: a ruler attached to unjust outcomes foresees catastrophe yet feels powerless. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s fear underscores how adharma and partiality breed insecurity, while the unstoppable force of a righteous opponent (here, Bhīma as an instrument of retribution) becomes a mirror of one’s own ethical failures.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra imagines Bhīma’s battlefield fury—whirling his mace, cleaving elephants, shedding rage-tears, and roaring back at the elephants’ cries—then asks how his sons could possibly survive when such a warrior breaks into their ranks and kills selected champions.