Mahabharata 7.141.40 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 141, Shloka 40

Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana

Devanagari script

रुक्मपृष्ठं महच्चापं भीमस्यासीद्‌ विशाम्पते

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

rukmapṛṣṭhaṁ mahācāpaṁ bhīmasyāsīd viśāmpate |

prajānātha! suvarṇamaya-pṛṣṭhavālā bhīmasenakā viśāla-dhanuḥ pratyañcā-khīñcanena maṇḍalākāraḥ san dvitīya indradhanur iva pratīyate sma |

tasmād ye bāṇāḥ prādurabhavan te mānava ākāśaṁ pūrayanta iva ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Ôi chúa tể muôn dân, bậc quân vương của loài người—Bhīma có một cây cung lớn, lưng dát vàng. Khi Bhīmasena kéo dây, cung uốn thành một vòng tròn hoàn hảo, tựa như một cầu vồng thứ hai. Những mũi tên bật ra từ đó tưởng như đang lấp đầy bầu trời—hình ảnh của sức mạnh áp đảo được phóng thích giữa chiến địa.

Word by Word

• रुक्मपृष्ठम्: gold-backed
• रुक्मपृष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुक्मपृष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महत्: great, huge
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भीमस्य: of Bhima
• भीमस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular

• विशाम्: of the people/subjects
• विशाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• पते: O lord
• पते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
• bow (mahācāpa/viśāla-dhanuḥ)
• bowstring (pratyañcā)
• arrows (bāṇāḥ)
• rainbow (indradhanus)
• sky (ākāśa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethos in war: disciplined strength and mastery of weapons used in a decisive moment. Ethically, it underscores how power in battle can overwhelm and intimidate, reminding the listener (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) of the consequences set in motion by adharma and the inevitability of retribution when conflict escalates.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīma’s formidable bow—gold-backed and immense. When Bhīma draws the string, the bow forms a circular arc like a second rainbow, and the arrows released appear so numerous that they seem to fill the sky, conveying Bhīma’s ferocity and the intensity of the fighting.