Shloka 58
Droṇa’s Ācārya-Dakṣiṇā: Capture of Drupada and Division of Pāñcāla (द्रोण-आचार्यदक्षिणा)
दंष्टाश्न देष्टिणां तेषां मर्मस्वपि निपातिता: । त्वचं नैवास्य बिभिदु: सारत्वात् पृथुवक्षस:,चौड़ी छातीवाले भीमसेनकी त्वचा लोहेके समान कठोर थी; अतः यद्यपि उनके मर्मस्थानोंमें सर्पोने दाँत गड़ाये थे, तो भी वे उनकी त्वचाको भेद न सके
daṃṣṭāśna-deṣṭināṃ teṣāṃ marmasv api nipātitāḥ | tvacaṃ naivāsya bibhiduḥ sāratvāt pṛthuvakṣasaḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Bagama’t ibinaon ng mga ahas ang kanilang mga pangil maging sa mga bahaging mahalaga sa buhay, hindi nila nabutas ang kanyang balat; sapagkat si Bhīmasena, na malapad ang dibdib at matibay ang katawan, ay may kutis na kasingtigas ng bakal. Ipinakikita ng pangyayaring ito na ang likás na lakas at tibay ay kayang pumigil sa masamang hangarin, at ang pinsalang inihahanda laban sa matuwid ay maaaring mabigo kapag pinangangalagaan ng sigla at kabutihang-loob na bunga ng merito.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Hostile intent does not always succeed: when a person possesses strong innate resilience (and, by implication, protective merit), even targeted harm may fail. The passage highlights steadfastness and the limits of malice.
Serpents bite Bhīmasena, even aiming at his vital points, but their fangs cannot penetrate his skin because he is broad-chested and exceptionally tough—his body is described as iron-hard.