Shloka 51
महाराज! ऐसी बात कहकर खूनसे भीगे और रक्तसे लाल मुखवाले, अत्यन्त क्रोधी, वेगशाली वीर भीमसेन युद्धमें विजय पाकर मुसकराते हुए पुनः श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुनसे बोले --4वीरो! दुःशासनके विषयमें मैंने जो प्रतिज्ञा की थी, उसे आज यहाँ रणभूमिमें सत्य कर दिखाया ।।
sañjaya uvāca | mahārāja! evaṃ bruvāṇaḥ śoṇitārdraḥ śoṇitāruṇavaktraḥ paramakrodhano vegavān vīro bhīmaseno raṇe vijitya smayamānaḥ punar eva śrīkṛṣṇārjunābhyāṃ provāca— “vīrāḥ! duḥśāsana-viṣaye yā pratijñā mayā kṛtā sā adya iha raṇabhūmau satyā kṛtā | anantaram dāsyāmy aparaṃ dvitīyaṃ duryodhanaṃ yajña-paśuṃ viśasya | śiro mṛdnīyāṃ ca padā durātmanaḥ śāntiṃ lapsye kauravāṇāṃ samakṣam” iti |
Sinabi ni Sañjaya: “O Hari! Pagkasabi nito, si Bhīmasena—ang bayaning basang-basa sa dugo, pulang-pula ang mukha sa dugo, nag-aalab sa poot at mabilis sa kilos—ay nagwagi sa labanan at, nakangiti, muling nagsalita kina Śrī Kṛṣṇa at Arjuna: ‘Mga bayani! Ang panatang ginawa ko tungkol kay Duḥśāsana ay tinupad ko ngayon dito sa larangan ng digmaan. Susunod ay mag-aalay ako ng ikalawang handog: papatayin ko si Duryodhana na parang hayop na inihahandog sa yajña; at sa harap ng lahat ng Kaurava, dudurugin ko sa ilalim ng aking paa ang ulo ng masamang taong iyon, at sa gayon ay makakamtan ko ang kapayapaan.’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how vows (pratijñā) can become morally binding forces that intensify violence in war: Bhīma frames vengeance as duty and even as a ‘sacrifice,’ showing the epic’s tension between kṣatriya obligation, personal wrath, and the ethical cost of retribution.
After fulfilling his vow connected with Duḥśāsana, Bhīma—blood-smeared and triumphant—speaks to Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, declaring that he will next kill Duryodhana, likening him to a sacrificial animal, and will publicly crush his head before the Kauravas to gain ‘peace’ through the completion of vengeance.