Shloka 21
Duryodhana-patana-anuśocana
The Fall of Duryodhana and the Contest of Restraint
धनंजयस्तु श्रुत्वैतत् केशवस्य महात्मन: । प्रेक्षतो भीमसेनस्य सव्यमूरूमताडयत्,महात्मा भगवान् केशवका यह वचन सुनकर अर्जुनने भीमसेनके देखते हुए अपनी बायीं जाँघको ठोंका
dhanañjayas tu śrutvैतat keśavasya mahātmanaḥ | prekṣato bhīmasenasya savya-mūrum atāḍayat ||
Nang marinig ni Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) ang mga salitang iyon ni Keśava na dakila ang diwa, sa harap ni Bhīmasena na nakatanaw, hinampas niya ang kaliwang hita—isang mariing hudyat ng paninindigan at hamon.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how counsel from a trusted guide (Keśava) can crystallize a warrior’s resolve; in a dharmic crisis, intention and commitment are reinforced through public, accountable action—yet such gestures also carry ethical weight because they escalate hostility.
After hearing Keśava’s statement, Arjuna, in Bhīma’s presence, strikes his left thigh as a forceful sign of determination and challenge, underscoring the intensity of vows and the psychological warfare operating alongside physical combat.