Shloka 21

Chapter 49: Sañjaya’s Enumeration of the Pāṇḍava Coalition (पाण्डवसैन्यसमागम-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

निः:सृत्य जतुगेहाद्‌ वै हिडिम्बात्‌ पुरुषादकात्‌ | यश्चलैषामभवद्‌ द्वीप: कुन्तीपुत्रो वृकोदर:

Transliteration

niḥsṛtya jatugṛhād vai hiḍimbāt puruṣādakāt | yaś cālaiṣām abhavad dvīpaḥ kuntīputro vṛkodaraḥ ||

Translation

సంజయుడు అన్నాడు—లాక్షాగృహం నుండి తప్పించుకొని, మనుష్యభక్షకుడైన హిడింబ రాక్షసుని నుండి రక్షించుకున్న తరువాత, కుంతీపుత్రుడు వృకోదరుడు (భీముడు) వారికి যেন ‘ద్వీపం’ వలె అయ్యాడు—విపత్తులో ఆశ్రయమూ, రక్షక ఆధారమూ.

Word by Word

निःसृत्यhaving gone out/escaped

जतुगेहात्from the lac-house

वैindeed

हिडिम्बात्from Hidimba

पुरुषादकात्from the man-eater (rākṣasa)

यःwho

चand

एषाम्of these (people)

अभवत्became/was

द्वीपःan island; refuge

कुन्तीपुत्रःKunti's son

वृकोदरःVrikodara (Bhima)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Jatugṛha (lac-house)

Hiḍimba

Kuntī

Vṛkodara (Bhīma)

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 ethical ideal of protective strength used in service of others: Bhīma’s power is portrayed not merely as force, but as a refuge—like an island—for those endangered. Courage and capability attain moral worth when they safeguard the vulnerable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya recalls earlier crises faced by the Pāṇḍavas: their escape from the lac-house plot and their deliverance from the man-eating rākṣasa Hiḍimba. In both dangers, Bhīma (Vṛkodara), Kuntī’s son, functioned as their chief protector and means of survival.