Shloka 13

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त: स राज्ञा तु राक्षसो भीमविक्रम: । तथेत्युक्त्वा महाबाहुर्घटोत्कचमुपाद्रवत्‌,राजा दुर्योधनके ऐसा कहनेपर उस भयंकर पराक्रमी महाबाहु राक्षसने “बहुत अच्छा' कहकर घटोत्कचपर धावा किया

Transliteration

evam uktaḥ sa rājñā tu rākṣaso bhīmavikramaḥ | tathety uktvā mahābāhur ghaṭotkacam upādravat |

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను—రాజు ఇలా చెప్పగా, భయంకర పరాక్రమశాలి మహాబాహు రాక్షసుడు “తథాస్తు” అని చెప్పి ఘటోత్కచునిపై దూకెను.

Word by Word

एवम्thus

उक्तःhaving been spoken to / addressed

सःhe

राज्ञाby the king

तुbut/indeed

राक्षसःthe Rakshasa (demon)

भीम-विक्रमःof terrible prowess

तथाso / in that manner

इतिthus (quotative)

उक्त्वाhaving said

महाबाहुःthe mighty-armed one

घटोत्कचम्Ghaṭotkaca

उपाद्रवत्rushed upon / charged at

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

the king (Duryodhana)

a rākṣasa warrior

Ghaṭotkaca

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 highlights how, in war, authority and allegiance can override reflection: a king’s directive is accepted instantly, and valor becomes immediate aggression. Ethically, it invites scrutiny of obedience in violent contexts—whether duty to a leader aligns with broader dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that, after being instructed by the king (Duryodhana), a formidable rākṣasa warrior agrees—saying “tathā”—and charges straight at Ghaṭotkaca, escalating the combat around Bhīma’s powerful son.