Shloka 43

Devanagari script

भीमसेन: प्रहृष्टात्मा गदामाशु परामृशत्‌ | राक्षसराज अलायुधके उस भयदायक घोर कर्मको देखकर भीमसेनका हृदय हर्ष और उत्साहसे भर गया और उन्होंने शीघ्र ही गदा हाथमें ले ली ।। ४२ $ ।। तयो: समभवद्‌ युद्ध तुमुलं नररक्षसो:

Transliteration

bhīmasenaḥ prahṛṣṭātmā gadām āśu parāmṛśat | rākṣasarājena ālāyudhena tad bhayadāyakaṃ ghora-karma dṛṣṭvā bhīmasenasya hṛdayaṃ harṣotsāhābhyāṃ paripūrṇam abhavat, sa ca śīghraṃ gadāṃ pāṇau jagrāha || tayoḥ samabhavad yuddhaṃ tumulaṃ nara-rākṣasoḥ ||

Translation

సంజయుడు అన్నాడు—ఆలాయుధుడనే రాక్షసరాజు చేసిన ఆ భయంకర ఘోర కార్యాన్ని చూచి భీమసేనుడు హర్షోల్లాసంతో ఉప్పొంగి, వెంటనే గదను చేతబట్టెను. అప్పుడు మనుష్యుడు మరియు రాక్షసుడు—భీముడు, ఆలాయుధుడు—ఇద్దరి మధ్య ఘోరమైన తుముల యుద్ధం చెలరేగెను।

Word by Word

तयोःof those two

समभवत्arose / happened

युद्धम्battle

तुमुलम्tumultuous, fierce

नररक्षसोःof the man and the rākṣasa (i.e., Bhīma and Alāyudha)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

Ālāyudha

rākṣasa-rāja (rākṣasa king)

gadā (mace)

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 the warrior ethic in epic narrative: when confronted with terrifying violence, a dharma-bound fighter does not collapse into fear but gathers disciplined courage and readiness. Bhīma’s uplifted spirit is not mere delight in bloodshed; it signals resolute preparedness to meet adharma-like ferocity with steadfast strength in defense of his cause.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīma seeing the dreadful actions of the rākṣasa leader Ālāyudha. Bhīma becomes energized, quickly takes up his mace, and a fierce, noisy duel begins between them—framed as a clash of a human champion and a rākṣasa warrior.