Shloka 18
Devanagari script
चिरसम्बद्धदर्पस्तु भीमसेनो वने तदा गजेन्द्राश्न महासत्त्वा मृगेन्द्राश्ष महाबला:
Transliteration
cirasambaddhadarpas tu bhīmaseno vane tadā | gajendrāś ca mahāsattvā mṛgendrāś ca mahābalāḥ ||
Translation
वैशम्पायन उवाच— चिरसंवृतदर्पस्तु भीमसेनो वने तदा । गजेन्द्रान् महासत्त्वान् मृगेन्द्रांश्च महाबलान् ॥ ददर्श समरे वीरः स्वतेजसा दुरासदान् ॥
Word by Word
चिरसम्बद्धदर्पःwhose pride had long been bound/held (long-cherished pride)
चिरसम्बद्धदर्पः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootचिर-सम्बद्ध-दर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
भीमसेनःBhimasena (Bhima)
भीमसेनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभीमसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वनेin the forest
वने:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootवन (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
तदाthen/at that time
तदा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
गजेन्द्राश्नःelephant-lord-eater (lion; lit. eater of lordly elephants)
गजेन्द्राश्नः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगजेन्द्राश्न (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महासत्त्वःof great might/being a great creature
महासत्त्वः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहासत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मृगेन्द्राश्नःlion-eater (a stronger beast; lit. eater of the lord of beasts)
मृगेन्द्राश्नः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमृगेन्द्राश्न (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महाबलःvery strong
महाबलः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśampāyanaB
Bhīmasena (Bhīma)F
forest (vana)G
gajendra (great elephants)M
mṛgendra (lions / lords of beasts)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
Power is not merely physical might; it is also the capacity to restrain pride and act with self-control when confronted by formidable forces.
Vaiśampāyana describes Bhīma in the forest at a moment when he faces powerful wild creatures—great elephants and lions—setting a tone of trial and confrontation during the Pāṇḍavas’ exile.