Mahabharata 9.33.19 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 33, Shloka 19

Adhyāya 33: Rauhiṇeya (Balarāma) is welcomed and takes his seat to witness the gadā-engagement

Devanagari script

अध्यर्धेन गुणेनेयं गदा गुरुतरी मम,मेरी यह गदा दुर्योधनकी डेढ़गुनी भारी है। ऐसी दुर्योधनकी गदा नहीं है, अतः माधव! आप व्यथित न हों। मैं समरांगणमें इस गदाद्वारा इससे भिड़नेका उत्साह रखता हूं

Transliteration

Bhīmasena uvāca: adhyardhena guṇeneyaṃ gadā gurutarī mama; naitādṛśī Duryodhanasya gadāsti; ato Mādhava, mā vyathitā bhava. aham asyā gadayā samara-aṅgaṇe tena saha yoddhum utsāhaṃ dhārayāmi.

Translation

بھیم نے کہا—“میری یہ گدا وزن میں ڈیڑھ گنا زیادہ بھاری ہے۔ دُریودھن کے پاس ایسی گدا نہیں؛ اس لیے اے مادھو، آپ رنجیدہ نہ ہوں۔ میدانِ جنگ میں اسی گدا سے اس سے ٹکر لینے کا میرا پختہ عزم ہے۔”

Word by Word

• अध्यर्धेन: by one-and-a-half (times)
• अध्यर्धेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अध्यर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• गुणेन: by a multiple/factor
• गुणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• गदा: mace
• गदा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• गुरुतरी: heavier
• गुरुतरी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, Comparative

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीमसेन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhima (Bhīmasena)
• Krishna (Mādhava)
• Duryodhana
• Gadā (mace)
• Samara-aṅgaṇa (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadiness and reassurance in a dharma-yuddha setting: a warrior should not succumb to anxiety but act with clear resolve, grounding confidence in preparedness rather than panic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhima addresses Krishna, asserting that his own mace is heavier by a factor of one-and-a-half and that Duryodhana lacks such a weapon; he urges Krishna not to worry and declares his eagerness to meet Duryodhana in mace-combat on the battlefield.