Shloka 15

Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57

Devanagari script

चरंश्व विविधान्‌ मार्गान्‌ मण्डलानि च भारत । अशोभत तदा वीरो भूय एव वृकोदर:

Transliteration

caraṁś ca vividhān mārgān maṇḍalāni ca bhārata | aśobhat tadā vīro bhūya eva vṛkodaraḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“噢，婆罗多啊！那时英雄弗利拘陀罗沿着种种路数驰走，又回旋成圈，愈发显得光彩夺目。”

Word by Word

चरन्walking, moving about

शुindeed, surely (emphatic particle)

विविधान्various

मार्गान्paths, routes

मण्डलानिcircles, circuits (rounds)

चand

भारतO Bharata

अशोभतshone, appeared splendid

तदाthen, at that time

वीरःthe hero

भूयःagain, moreover, even more

एवindeed, just

वृकोदरःVṛkodara (Bhīma; lit. 'wolf-bellied')

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)

Vṛkodara (Bhīma)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣātra-tejas—martial excellence expressed through disciplined movement and tactical agility. Even amid violent conflict, a warrior’s conduct is evaluated by composure, skill, and steadfast courage rather than mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīma (Vṛkodara) on the battlefield: he advances through varied routes and executes circular wheeling maneuvers (maṇḍalāni). These movements make him appear even more formidable and radiant in that moment.