Shloka 4

Pāṇḍava-senā-niryāṇa and Vyūha-vibhāga (पाण्डवसेनानिर्याण तथा व्यूहविभाग)

Devanagari script

अवाक्‌शिरा भीमसेन: समुदैक्षत केशवम्‌ | नेत्राभ्यां लोहितान्ताभ्यामाशीविष इव श्वसन्‌,भीमसेनने फुफकारते हुए विषधर नागकी भाँति लंबी साँसें खींचते हुए सिर नीचे किये लाल नेत्रोंसे भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णकी ओर देखा

Transliteration

avākśirā bhīmasenaḥ samudaikṣata keśavam | netrābhyāṃ lohitāntābhyām āśīviṣa iva śvasan |

Translation

భీమసేనుడు తల వంచి కేశవుని వైపు చూచెను. విషసర్పంలా ఊపిరి బిగపట్టి ఫుసఫుసలాడుతూ, కళ్ల మూలలు ఎర్రబడిన నేత్రాలతో నిలిచెను.

Word by Word

अवाक्शिराःwith head bent down

भीमसेनःBhimasena

समुदैक्षतlooked at, beheld

केशवम्Keshava (Krishna)

नेत्राभ्याम्with (his) two eyes

लोहितान्ताभ्याम्having red ends/corners (i.e., red-rimmed)

आशीविषःa venomous serpent

इवlike, as if

श्वसन्breathing, hissing

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights controlled wrath and readiness: intense emotion is present, yet it is held within discipline and directed toward rightful action under wise leadership (Keśava), a key ethical tension in the lead-up to war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīma’s physical and emotional state—head lowered, breathing like a venomous serpent, eyes red-rimmed—as he stares at Kṛṣṇa, signaling mounting anger and determination in the Udyoga Parva’s pre-battle deliberations.