Mahabharata 9.60.17 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 60, Shloka 17

Duryodhana-vadha-pratikriyā: Harṣa, Nindā, and Kṛṣṇa’s Nīti-vyākhyā (Śalya-parva 60)

Devanagari script

सुयोधनस्य गदया भडद्भक्तास्म्यूरू महाहवे । इति पूर्व प्रतिज्ञातं भीमेन हि सभातले

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

suyodhanasya gadayā bhagnabhaktāsy ūrū mahāhave |

iti pūrvaṃ pratijñātaṃ bhīmena hi sabhātale ||

Translation

สัญชัยกล่าวว่า “ในมหาสงคราม ข้าจะใช้คทาทุบทำลายต้นขาของสุโยธนะ (ทุรโยธนะ)—นี่คือคำปฏิญาณที่ภีมได้ประกาศไว้ก่อนแล้ว ณ ท้องพระโรง”

Word by Word

• सुयोधनस्य: of Suyodhana (Duryodhana)
• सुयोधनस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुयोधन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• गदया: with a mace
• गदया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• भिन्दित्वा: having broken/split
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• अस्य: of him (his)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• ऊरू: the two thighs
• ऊरू: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊरु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• महाहवे: in the great battle
• महाहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाहव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• प्रतिज्ञातम्: promised, vowed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ज्ञा
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• भीमेन: by Bhima
• भीमेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• सभातले: on the floor of the assembly hall
• सभातले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सभातल
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Suyodhana (Duryodhana)
• Bhima (Bhimasena)
• gada (mace)
• mahāhava (great battle)
• sabhā (assembly hall)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal that a publicly made vow (pratijñā) must be upheld as a matter of dharma. It frames Bhima’s later act not as a sudden impulse but as the fulfillment of a solemn pledge, emphasizing accountability and the moral weight of one’s word.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reminds Dhritarashtra that Bhima had earlier, in the assembly hall, vowed to break Duryodhana’s thighs with his mace in the great war. The line functions as a narrative recall, linking the present battlefield outcome to an earlier courtly humiliation and its promised retribution.