Mahabharata · 1.151.14–15
॥
Devanāgarī
क्षिप्तं क्रुद्धेन तं वृक्षं प्रतिजग्राह वीर्यवान् ॥
सव्येन पाणिना भीमः प्रहसन्न् इव भारत ॥
ततः स पुनर् उद्यम्य वृक्षान् बहुविधान् बली ॥
प्राहिणोद् भीमसेनाय तस्मै भीमश् च पाण्डवः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kṣiptaṃ kruddhena taṃ vṛkṣaṃ pratijagrāha vīryavān ||
savyena pāṇinā bhīmaḥ prahasann iva bhārata ||
tataḥ sa punar udyamya vṛkṣān bahuvidhān balī ||
prāhiṇod bhīmasenāya tasmai bhīmaś ca pāṇḍavaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
क्षिप्तं क्रुद्धेन तं वृक्षं प्रतिजग्राह वीर्यवान्kṣiptaṃ kruddhena taṃ vṛkṣaṃ pratijagrāha vīryavānthe tree thrown by the enraged one, the valiant one caught,
सव्येन पाणिना भीमः प्रहसन् इव भारतsavyena pāṇinā bhīmaḥ prahasan iva bhāratawith his left hand, Bhima, as if laughing, O Bharata;
ततः सः पुनः उद्यम्य वृक्षान् बहुविधान् बलीtataḥ saḥ punaḥ udyamya vṛkṣān bahuvidhān balīthen he, again raising trees of many kinds, the strong one,
प्राहिणोत् भीमसेनाय तस्मै भीमः च पाण्डवःprāhiṇot bhīmasenāya tasmai bhīmaḥ ca pāṇḍavaḥhurled them at Bhimasena, and Bhima the Pandava answered him in kind;
प्रहसन्न्prahasannoriginal form "prahasann", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पुनर्punaroriginal form "punar", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्राहिणोद्prāhiṇodoriginal form "prāhiṇod", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भीमश्bhīmaśoriginal form "bhīmaś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"The tree hurled by the enraged one, valiant Bhima caught with his left hand, as if laughing, O Bharata; then he, again raising trees of many kinds, hurled them at Bhima, and Bhima the Pandava answered him in kind."
Version
9d1c0314e04b · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:19:51 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Bhima's superiority shows itself in the ease with which he parries the blow. It is telling that he catches the thrown tree with just his left hand "as if laughing": what for the enemy is an effort of rage is, for Bhima, mere play. True strength plays where weakness strains: the unconquerable knows no exertion. So the scripture shows the inequality of the fighters even through the fearsome exchange of blows: Baka's fury spends itself, while Bhima's calm might remains inexhaustible; and the hero's smile amid the flying trunks foretells the coming end.