Bhima Declares His Strength

Verse 1 (5.75.1)

तथोक्तो वासुदेवेन नित्यमन्युरमर्षणः । सदश्ववत्समाधावद्बभाषे तदनन्तरम् ॥

tathokto vāsudevena nityamanyuramarṣaṇaḥ | sadaśvavatsamādhāvadbabhāṣe tadanantaram

Thus spoken to by Vasudeva, the ever-wrathful, unforgiving Bhima broke out like a fine horse into a gallop and answered him at once.

Verse 2 (5.75.2)

अन्यथा मां चिकीर्षन्तमन्यथा मन्यसेऽच्युत । प्रणीतभावमत्यर्थं युधि सत्यपराक्रमम् ॥

anyathā māṃ cikīrṣantamanyathā manyase'cyuta | praṇītabhāvamatyarthaṃ yudhi satyaparākramam

You take me to mean one thing when I intend another, Achyuta. My heart is wholly set on battle, and my valour in war is true.

Verse 3 (5.75.3)

वेत्सि दाशार्ह सत्यं मे दीर्घकालं सहोषितः । उत वा मां न जानासि प्लवन्ह्रद इवाप्लवे ॥

vetsi dāśārha satyaṃ me dīrghakālaṃ sahoṣitaḥ | uta vā māṃ na jānāsi plavanhrada ivāplave

You know my true worth, Dasharha, for you have lived with me a long time. Or perhaps you do not know me at all, like a man swimming in a lake with no raft, who cannot tell where the shore is.

Note on the text: Corrected प्लवन्हृद → प्लवन्ह्रद (misprint in Wikisource; हृद 'heart' for ह्रद 'lake', as the commentary's ह्रदे प्लवन् shows; critical edition plavan hrada). This verse is the critical edition's 5.74.3ab (reading vettha … sattvaṃ and ivālpavaḥ); the critical edition's 5.74.3 has a third line, which opens Wikisource's verse 4.

Verse 4 (5.75.4)

तस्मादनभिरूपाभिर्वाग्भिर्मां त्वं समर्च्छसि । कथं हि भीमसेनं मां जानन्कश्चन माधव ॥

tasmādanabhirūpābhirvāgbhirmāṃ tvaṃ samarcchasi | kathaṃ hi bhīmasenaṃ māṃ jānankaścana mādhava

That is why you assail me with unseemly words. For how could anyone who knew me, Bhimasena, Madhava,

Note on the text: Corrected अनभिरुपाभिर् → अनभिरूपाभिर् (misprint in Wikisource; ु for ू in अनभिरूप 'unseemly'; the critical edition reads apratirūpābhir). Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.3ef; lines 3–4 are 5.74.4ab. From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 5 (5.75.5)

ब्रूयादप्रतिरूपाणि यथा मां वक्तुमर्हसि । तस्मादिदं प्रवक्ष्यामि वचनं वृष्णिनन्दन ॥

brūyādapratirūpāṇi yathā māṃ vaktumarhasi | tasmādidaṃ pravakṣyāmi vacanaṃ vṛṣṇinandana

say such unfitting things as you see fit to say to me? So I shall tell you this, joy of the Vrishnis,

Note on the text: Corrected वक्तमर्हसि → वक्तुमर्हसि (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ु of the infinitive, critical edition vaktum arhasi). Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.4cd; lines 3–4 are 5.74.5ab. From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 6 (5.75.6)

आत्मनः पौरुषं चैव बलं च न समं परैः । सर्वथाऽनार्यकर्मैतत्प्रशंसा स्वयमात्मनः ॥

ātmanaḥ pauruṣaṃ caiva balaṃ ca na samaṃ paraiḥ | sarvathā'nāryakarmaitatpraśaṃsā svayamātmanaḥ

about my own manhood and my strength, which others cannot equal. In every way it is an ignoble thing to praise oneself;

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.5cd; lines 3–4 are 5.74.6ab (reading nāryakarmaitat for अनार्यकर्मैतत्). From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 7 (5.75.7)

अतिवादापविद्धस्तु वक्ष्यामि बलमात्मनः । पश्येमे रोदसी कृष्ण ययोरासन्निमाः प्रजाः ॥

ativādāpaviddhastu vakṣyāmi balamātmanaḥ | paśyeme rodasī kṛṣṇa yayorāsannimāḥ prajāḥ

but stung by your excessive words, I will speak of my strength. Look at heaven and earth, Krishna, in which all these creatures dwell,

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.6cd; lines 3–4 are 5.74.7ab. From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 8 (5.75.8)

अचले चाप्रतिष्ठे चाप्यनन्ते सर्वमातरौ । यदीमे सहसा क्रुद्धे समेयातां शिले इव ॥

acale cāpratiṣṭhe cāpyanante sarvamātarau | yadīme sahasā kruddhe sameyātāṃ śile iva

unmoving, with nothing to rest on, endless, the mothers of all. If these two were suddenly to fly at each other in anger and clash like two rocks,

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.7cd (in a different order); lines 3–4 are 5.74.8ab. From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 9 (5.75.9)

अहमेते निगृह्णीयां बाहुभ्यां सचराचरे । पश्यैतदन्तरं बाह्वोर्महापरिघयोरिव ॥

ahamete nigṛhṇīyāṃ bāhubhyāṃ sacarācare | paśyaitadantaraṃ bāhvormahāparighayoriva

I would hold them apart with my two arms, along with everything in them that moves and does not move. Look at the span between my arms, like two great iron bars.

Note on the text: Corrected सचसाचरे → सचराचरे (misprint in Wikisource; स for र, critical edition sacarācare). Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.8cd; lines 3–4 are 5.74.9ab. From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 10 (5.75.10)

य एतत्प्राप्य मुच्येत न तं पश्यामि पूरुषम् । हिमवांश्च समुद्रश्च वज्री वा बलभित्स्वयम् ॥

ya etatprāpya mucyeta na taṃ paśyāmi pūruṣam | himavāṃśca samudraśca vajrī vā balabhitsvayam

I do not see the man who could fall into this grip and come out free. Not the Himalaya, nor the ocean, nor the thunderbolt-wielder himself, the slayer of Bala,

Note on the text: Corrected प्राय → प्राप्य, पुरूषम् → पूरुषम् and बलमित् → बलभित् (misprints in Wikisource; dropped प्, ु/ू misplaced, and म for भ in बलभित् 'slayer of Bala'; critical edition prāpya … pūruṣam … balabhit). Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.9cd; lines 3–4 are 5.74.10ab. From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 11 (5.75.11)

मयाभिपन्नं त्रायेरन्बलमास्थाय न त्रयः । युद्धार्हान्क्षत्रियान्सर्वान्पाण्डवेष्वाततायिनः ॥

mayābhipannaṃ trāyeranbalamāsthāya na trayaḥ | yuddhārhānkṣatriyānsarvānpāṇḍaveṣvātatāyinaḥ

not these three together, using all their strength, could rescue one I had seized. All the kshatriyas fit for battle who stand as aggressors against the Pandavas

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.10cd; lines 3–4 are 5.74.11ab (reading yudhyeyaṃ for युद्धार्हान्). From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 12 (5.75.12)

अधः पादतलेनैतानधिष्ठास्यामि भूतले । न हि त्वं नाभिजानासि मम विक्रममच्युत ॥

adhaḥ pādatalenaitānadhiṣṭhāsyāmi bhūtale | na hi tvaṃ nābhijānāsi mama vikramamacyuta

I will stamp down beneath the soles of my feet upon the ground. Surely you are not ignorant of my valour, Achyuta,

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.11cd; lines 3–4 are 5.74.12ab. From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 13 (5.75.13)

यथा मया विनिर्जित्य राजानो वशगाः कृताः । अथ चेन्मां न जानासि सूर्यस्येवोद्यतः प्रभाम् ॥

yathā mayā vinirjitya rājāno vaśagāḥ kṛtāḥ | atha cenmāṃ na jānāsi sūryasyevodyataḥ prabhām

how I conquered kings and brought them under my sway. But if you do not know me, as one might fail to know the brilliance of the rising sun,

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.12cd; lines 3–4 are 5.74.13ab. From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 14 (5.75.14)

विगाढे युधि संबाधे वेत्स्यसे मां जनार्दन । परुषैराक्षिपसि किं व्रणं सूच्येव चानघ ॥

vigāḍhe yudhi saṃbādhe vetsyase māṃ janārdana | paruṣairākṣipasi kiṃ vraṇaṃ sūcyeva cānagha

you will know me, Janardana, in the thick press of battle. Why do you lash me with harsh words, sinless one, like a man probing a sore with a needle?

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.13cd; lines 3–4 are 5.74.14ab (in a different wording: kiṃ mātyavākṣīḥ paruṣair vraṇaṃ sūcyā ivānagha). From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 15 (5.75.15)

यथामति ब्रवीम्येतद्विद्धि मामधिकं ततः । द्रष्टासि युधि संबाधे प्रवृत्ते वैशसेऽहनि ॥

yathāmati bravīmyetadviddhi māmadhikaṃ tataḥ | draṣṭāsi yudhi saṃbādhe pravṛtte vaiśase'hani

I say this as best I can; know that I am more than this. You will see, in the crush of battle, when the day of slaughter has begun,

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.14cd; lines 3–4 are 5.74.15ab. From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 16 (5.75.16)

मया प्रणुन्नान्मातङ्गान्रथिनः सादिनस्तथा । तथा नरानभिक्रुद्धं निघ्नन्तं क्षत्रियर्षभान् ॥

mayā praṇunnānmātaṅgānrathinaḥ sādinastathā | tathā narānabhikruddhaṃ nighnantaṃ kṣatriyarṣabhān

elephants, chariot-fighters and horsemen driven back by me, and me in a fury cutting down men and the bulls among kshatriyas.

Note on the text: Corrected मातङ्गात्नथिनः → मातङ्गान्रथिनः and सादनस् → सादिनस् (misprints in Wikisource; त्न for न्र, and dropped ि in सादिनः 'horsemen'; critical edition mātaṅgān rathinaḥ sādinas). Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.15cd; lines 3–4 are 5.74.16ab. From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 17 (5.75.17)

द्रष्टा मां त्वं च लोकश्च विकर्षन्तं वरान्वरान् । न मे सीदन्ति गात्राणि न ममोद्वेपते मनः ॥

draṣṭā māṃ tvaṃ ca lokaśca vikarṣantaṃ varānvarān | na me sīdanti gātrāṇi na mamodvepate manaḥ

You and the whole world will see me dragging off the best of the best. My limbs do not give way, and my mind does not tremble.

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.74.16cd; lines 3–4 are 5.74.17ab (reading majjāno for गात्राणि). From verse 4 to verse 18 each Wikisource verse joins the second half of one critical-edition verse to the first half of the next.

Verse 18 (5.75.18)

सर्वलोकादभिक्रुद्धान्न भयं विद्यते मम । किं तु सौहृदमेवैतत्कृपया मधुसूदन । सर्वांस्तितिक्षे संक्लेशान्मा स्म नो भरता नशन् ॥

sarvalokādabhikruddhānna bhayaṃ vidyate mama | kiṃ tu sauhṛdamevaitatkṛpayā madhusūdana | sarvāṃstitikṣe saṃkleśānmā sma no bharatā naśan

Even if the whole world rose against me in anger, I would feel no fear. It is only out of friendship and compassion, Madhusudana, that I bear all these hardships, so that the Bharatas may not perish.

Note on the text: A three-line verse (Wikisource numbers its lines 18a–c). Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.74.17cd; lines 2–3 are 5.74.18.