Shloka 98

Kirmīra-rākṣasa-saṃgamaḥ (Encounter and Slaying of Kirmīra) | किर्मीरेण सह भीमसेनसमागमः

Devanagari script

एवमुक्ता तु भीमेन राक्षसी कामरूपिणी । भीमसेनं महात्मानमाह चैवमनिन्दिता,इस प्रकार पूछनेपर इच्छानुसार रूप धारण करनेवाली उस अनिन्द्य सुन्दरी राक्षसकन्याने महात्मा भीमसे कहा--

Transliteration

evamuktā tu bhīmena rākṣasī kāmarūpiṇī | bhīmasenaṃ mahātmānam āha caivam aninditā ||

Translation

Assim interpelada por Bhīma, a donzela rākṣasī, capaz de assumir formas à vontade, falou então ao magnânimo Bhīmasena. Irrepreensível em seu porte, respondeu deste modo:

Word by Word

एवम्thus

उक्ताhaving been spoken to / addressed

तुbut/indeed

भीमेनby Bhima

राक्षसीthe demoness

कामरूपिणीable to assume forms at will

भीमसेनम्Bhimasena

महात्मानम्the great-souled (one)

आहsaid

चand

एवम्thus

अनिन्दिताblameless / irreproachable

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhīma

Bhīmasena

Rākṣasī (kāmarūpiṇī)

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 primarily functions as narrative framing, but it subtly models ethical characterization: even a being from a feared class (rākṣasī) can be described as aninditā (irreproachable), reminding readers that moral appraisal in the epic often depends on conduct rather than mere birth or species.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Bhīma addresses her, the shape-shifting rākṣasī maiden turns to respond. The verse signals a shift from Bhīma’s inquiry to her forthcoming speech, setting up the next development in the encounter.