Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 14

Bhīma–Duryodhana Gadāyuddha Saṃkalpa

Resolve for the Mace Duel

Devanagari script

न मे त्वत्तो भयं राजन्‌ न च पार्थाद्‌ वकोदरात्‌ । फाल्गुनाद्‌ वासुदेवाद्‌ वा पञज्चालेभ्यो5थवा पुन:

Transliteration

na me tvatto bhayaṁ rājan na ca pārthād vakodarāt | phālgunād vāsudevād vā pañcālebhyo 'thavā punaḥ ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: «О царь, я не боюсь ни тебя, ни Врикодары (Бхимы), сына Партхи; ни Фалгуны (Арджуны), ни Васудевы (Кришны), ни также панчалов».

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• मे: to me / for me (of me)
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• त्वत्तः: from you
• त्वत्तः: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Ablative, Singular

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• न: nor
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पार्थात्: from Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• वकोदरात्: from Vṛkodara (Bhima)
• वकोदरात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वकोदर
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• फाल्गुनात्: from Phalguna (Arjuna)
• फाल्गुनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल्गुन
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• वासुदेवात्: from Vasudeva (Krishna)
• वासुदेवात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• पञ्चालेभ्यः: from the Panchalas
• पञ्चालेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चाल
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Plural

• अथ: or else / then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• पुनः: again / moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by rājan)
• Vṛkodara (Bhīma)
• Phālguna (Arjuna)
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Pañcālas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the psychology of war: bold declarations of fearlessness can reflect genuine valor, but in the Mahābhārata they also frequently expose pride and overconfidence—traits that cloud discernment and invite downfall, even while one claims to uphold kṣatriya-dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a warrior’s defiant statement to the king: the speaker claims to fear neither the king’s side nor the famed Pāṇḍava champions—Bhīma and Arjuna—nor Kṛṣṇa, nor the Pañcālas, asserting unwavering confidence in the midst of the Kurukṣetra conflict.