Shloka 37

Devanagari script

भीमसेनो गजानीकं योधयन्‌ बह्बशोभत । यथा शक्रो वज्रपाणिददरियन्‌ पर्वतोत्तमान्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

bhīmaseno gajānīkaṃ yodhayan bahuśo 'bhavat śobhitaḥ |

yathā śakro vajrapāṇir dārayann parvatottamān |

tathā bhīmasenaḥ gajānīkena saha yudhyamānaḥ śobhate ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：毗摩塞那屡次与象军交战，光彩夺目，英姿赫然。正如执金刚杵的释迦（因陀罗）劈裂巍峨群山，毗摩塞那与密集的战象搏杀时亦显得灿然生辉——其勇力如同摧折压迫之强、护佑己方于正义战斗中的伟力。

Word by Word

• भीमसेनः: Bhimasena
• भीमसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गजानीकम्: elephant-corps/elephant-army
• गजानीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गजानीक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• योधयन्: fighting/engaging in battle
• योधयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बहु: greatly/very much
• बहु: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहु

• अशोभत: shone/appeared splendid
• अशोभत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd, Singular

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• शक्रः: Shakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वज्रपाणिः: the thunderbolt-handed (Indra)
• वज्रपाणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्रपाणि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ददार: split/cleft
• ददार: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दॄ
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd, Singular

• इयान्: going/advancing (reading uncertain)
• इयान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (गम्-अर्थे)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-सम्भव (contextually: ‘approaching/going’), पाठभेद/दोषसम्भावना; अपेक्षितं ‘इयन्’ (शतृ) वा ‘इयत्’ इत्यादि, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पर्वतोत्तमान्: the best of mountains/great mountains
• पर्वतोत्तमान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वतोत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तथा: so/in the same way
• तथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Bhimasena (Bhima)
• Gajānīka (elephant-corps)
• Śakra (Indra)
• Vajra (thunderbolt)
• Mountains (parvatottama)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights righteous martial excellence: strength and courage, when directed toward one’s duty in a just cause, become a form of protective power. The Indra-simile frames Bhima’s force as decisive and disciplined, not mere violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Bhima on the battlefield repeatedly attacking and engaging the enemy’s elephant division. Bhima’s brilliance and effectiveness are compared to Indra cleaving mountains with the thunderbolt.