Shloka 44

भीमस्य जलान्वेषणं तथा वनविश्रान्तिः

Bhīma’s Search for Water and the Forest Halt

Devanagari script

ततो हलहलाशब्द आसीत्‌ पाञ्चालके बले । जिघृक्षति महासिंहो गजानामिव यूथपम्‌

Transliteration

tato halahalāśabda āsīt pāñcālake bale | jighṛkṣati mahāsiṁho gajānām iva yūthapam |

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：于是，般遮罗军中骤然响起震天的惊惶呼号。正如雄狮奋力欲擒象群之首，阿周那一心要擒住德鲁帕达；就在那一刻，喧乱与骚动席卷了般遮罗的阵列。

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: Avyaya

• हलहलाशब्दः: a cry of 'halahalā' (uproar)
• हलहलाशब्दः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हलहला-शब्द
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आसीत्: was, arose
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd person, Singular

• पाञ्चालके: in/among the Pāñcāla (forces)
• पाञ्चालके: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाञ्चालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• बले: in the army
• बले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• जिघृक्षति: wishes to seize, tries to grasp
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + सन् (इच्छार्थक)
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd person, Singular

• महासिंहः: a great lion
• महासिंहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महासिंह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गजानाम्: of elephants
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: Avyaya

• यूथपम्: the leader of a herd
• यूथपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूथप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna
• Drupada
• Pāñcāla army (Pāñcālaka bala)
• lion (siṁha)
• elephant herd-leader (gaja-yūthapa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights decisive, goal-focused action in conflict: targeting the key leader can shift the morale and cohesion of an entire force, while also illustrating the epic’s kṣatriya ideal of courage and effectiveness in battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna presses forward to seize King Drupada; as his capture seems imminent, panic and loud commotion break out across the Pāñcāla army, compared to elephants reacting when a lion attacks their leader.