Shloka 48

Devanagari script

जहि मातुल संग्रामे भीमसेनं महाबलम्‌ । अस्मिन्‌ जिते जित॑ मन्ये पाण्डवेयं महाबलम्‌

Transliteration

jahi mātula saṅgrāme bhīmasenaṃ mahābalam | asmin jite jitaṃ manye pāṇḍaveyaṃ mahābalam ||

Translation

Wika ni Sañjaya: “O tiyo sa ina, pabagsakin mo sa labang ito si Bhīmasena na napakalakas. Kapag siya’y napasuko, ituturing kong napasuko na rin ang buong dakilang hukbo ng mga Pāṇḍava.”

Word by Word

• जहि: kill
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, singular, परस्मैपद

• मातुल: O maternal uncle
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• भीमसेनम्: Bhimasena
• भीमसेनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• महाबलम्: mighty/very strong
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• अस्मिन्: in this (case)/when this one
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine/neuter, locative, singular

• जिते: when (he/it) is conquered
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जि (धातु) → जित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), masculine/neuter, locative, singular

• जितम्: conquered (as a thing achieved)
• जितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जि (धातु) → जित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), neuter, accusative, singular

• मन्ये: I think/consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), 1, singular, आत्मनेपद

• पाण्डवेयम्: belonging to the Pandavas (Pandava-side)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाण्डवेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• महाबलम्: the great force/army
• महाबलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Bhimasena (Bhima)
• Pandavas
• maternal uncle (addressed figure)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a strategic-ethical idea common in epic warfare: the outcome of a vast conflict is often framed through the fate of key champions. It reflects how leaders equate the defeat of a principal protector (Bhīma) with the collapse of the opposing force, emphasizing the weight of individual responsibility and the moral pressure placed on heroic figures in dharmic war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports an urgent exhortation addressed to a ‘maternal uncle’ on the battlefield, urging him to kill Bhīmasena. The speaker argues that if Bhīma is overcome, it will be as though the entire Pāṇḍava army has been overcome—marking Bhīma as a decisive pillar of Pāṇḍava strength.