Mahabharata 9.60.40 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 60, Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तो वासुदेवेन भीमप्रियहितैषिणा । अन्वमोदत तत्‌ सर्व यद्‌ भीमेन कृतं युधि

Transliteration

ity ukto vāsudevena bhīmapriyahitaiṣiṇā | anvamodata tat sarvaṃ yad bhīmena kṛtaṃ yudhi ||

Translation

สัญชัยกล่าวว่า เมื่อวาสุเทวะผู้มุ่งประโยชน์และสิ่งอันเป็นที่รักของภีมะตรัสดังนั้นแล้ว ยุธิษฐิระก็ทรงเห็นชอบทั้งหมด อนุมัติทุกสิ่งที่ภีมะได้กระทำในสนามรบ

Word by Word

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

• उक्तः: having been spoken to / addressed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त, Masculine, Nominative, Singular, past passive participle

• वासुदेवेन: by Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• वासुदेवेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• भीमप्रियहितैषिणा: by one who seeks Bhīma's dear good (i.e., welfare)
• भीमप्रियहितैषिणा: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीमप्रियहितैषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अन्वमोदत्: approved / assented
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-मुद्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यत्: which / whatever
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• कृतम्: done
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त, Neuter, Accusative, Singular, past passive participle

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• वासुदेव (Vāsudeva / Kṛṣṇa)
• भीम (Bhīma / Bhīmasena)
• युधिष्ठिर (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• युद्ध (the battlefield/war context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical accountability in war: Kṛṣṇa’s guidance is portrayed as benevolent concern for Bhīma’s welfare, and Yudhiṣṭhira’s assent shows that even harsh battlefield actions are weighed, interpreted, and consciously endorsed (or rejected) within a dharmic framework rather than treated as mere impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) speaks—motivated by what is dear and beneficial to Bhīma—Yudhiṣṭhira responds by approving everything Bhīma had done in the fighting. Sañjaya reports this approval as a key reaction that situates Bhīma’s deed within the Pandava camp’s moral and strategic understanding.