Mahabharata 4.2.8 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 2, Shloka 8
भीमस्य बल्लव-प्रतिज्ञा तथा अर्जुनस्य बृहन्नडा-रूप-निर्णयः
Bhīma’s Ballava Vow and Arjuna’s Decision to Become Bṛhannadā
न त्वेतान् युद्धयमानान् वै हनिष्यामि कथजठ्चन । तथैतान् पातयिष्यामि यथा यास्यन्ति न क्षयम्
na tv etān yuddhayamānān vai haniṣyāmi kathañcana | tathaitān pātayiṣyāmi yathā yāsyanti na kṣayam ||
न त्वेतान् युद्धयमानान् वै हनिष्यामि कथञ्चन। तथैतान् पातयिष्यामि यथा यास्यन्ति न क्षयम्॥
भीमसेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a contest that resembles battle, strength should be governed by restraint and dharma: Bhīma resolves to subdue opponents without taking life, choosing control over lethal violence.
In the Virāṭa court context, Bhīma (in disguise as a cook/wrestler) speaks about how he will handle the palace wrestlers—he will defeat and throw them down, but deliberately avoid killing them.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.