Shloka 24

Kṛṣṇa at Duryodhana’s House: Refusal of Hospitality and Departure to Vidura (कृष्णस्य धार्तराष्ट्रनिवेशनगमनम्)

Devanagari script

पराक्रमे शक्रसमो मातरिश्व॒समो बले । महेश्वरसम: क्रोधे भीम: प्रहरतां वर:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

parākrame śakrasamo mātariśvasamo bale |

maheśvarasamaḥ krodhe bhīmaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ ||

Translation

Disse Vaiśampāyana: “Em proeza ele é igual a Śakra (Indra), em força igual a Mātariśvan (Vāyu), e em ira igual a Maheśvara (Śiva). Bhīma é o primeiro entre os que desferem golpes.”

Word by Word

• पराक्रमे: in valor
• पराक्रमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शक्र-समः: equal to Indra
• शक्र-समः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्रसम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मातरिश्व-समः: equal to Vayu (Mātariśvan)
• मातरिश्व-समः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मातरिश्वसम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बले: in strength
• बले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• महेश्वर-समः: equal to Maheshvara (Shiva)
• महेश्वर-समः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेश्वरसम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रोधे: in wrath
• क्रोधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भीमः: Bhima
• भीमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रहरताम्: of those who strike/attack
• प्रहरताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हृ
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरः: the best
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīma
• Śakra (Indra)
• Mātariśvan (Vāyu)
• Maheśvara (Śiva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse elevates Bhīma through divine comparisons—valor like Indra, strength like Vāyu, wrath like Śiva—yet, in the broader epic context, such power is ethically meaningful only when governed by dharma and disciplined purpose rather than uncontrolled rage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Bhīma’s extraordinary martial qualities in heightened epic style, presenting him as the foremost striker among warriors by likening his key attributes to major deities.