Shloka 85

Kirmīra-rākṣasa-saṃgamaḥ (Encounter and Slaying of Kirmīra) | किर्मीरेण सह भीमसेनसमागमः

Devanagari script

प्रतिबुद्धस्तु कौन्तेय: सर्वान्‌ सर्पानपो थयत्‌ । सारथिं चास्य दयितमपहस्तेन जध्निवान्‌,जागनेपर कुन्तीनन्दन भीमने सब सर्पोंको उठा-उठाकर पटक दिया। दुर्योधनने भीमसेनके प्रिय सारथिको भी उलटे हाथसे मार डाला

Transliteration

pratibuddhas tu kaunteyaḥ sarvān sarpān apothayat | sārathiṁ cāsya dayitam apahastena jahnivān ||

Translation

కుంతీపుత్రుడు మేల్కొనగానే అన్ని సర్పాలను బలంగా కొట్టి పడేశాడు. తనకు ప్రియమైన సారథినీ కూడా వెనుకచేతి దెబ్బతో సంహరించాడు.

Word by Word

• प्रतिबुद्धः: awakened, having come to himself
• प्रतिबुद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिबुद्ध (√बुध्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but, however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• कौन्तेयः: son of Kunti (Bhima)
• कौन्तेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्पान्: snakes
• सर्पान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अपोथयत्: he struck down / dashed (them)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अपोथय (अप + √उथ/ओथ् caus.)
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सारथिम्: charioteer
• सारथिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अस्य: of him / his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (अदस्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• दयितम्: beloved, dear
• दयितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दयित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अपहस्तेन: with the back of the hand
• अपहस्तेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपहस्त
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• जघ्निवान्: he slew / killed
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (√हन्)
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic/participial usage), Singular, Masculine, Nominative

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)
• कौन्तेय (Kaunteya—son of Kuntī, contextually Bhīma)
• भीम (Bhīma, implied by the Hindi gloss)
• दुर्योधन (Duryodhana, per the Hindi gloss)
• सर्प (serpents/snakes)
• सारथि (charioteer)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical volatility of anger and sudden retaliation: once roused, immense power can become indiscriminate, escalating harm beyond the immediate threat. It invites reflection on restraint (dama) and proportional response even amid danger.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that the Kaunteya, upon waking, strikes down all the serpents and also kills a beloved charioteer with a backhand blow, portraying a rapid, forceful turn in the encounter and its grim consequences.