Mahabharata · 2.39.14–15
॥
Devanāgarī
तस्य भीमस्य भीष्मेण वार्यमाणस्य भारत ॥
गुरुणा विविधैर् वाक्यैः क्रोधः प्रशमम् आगतः ॥
नातिचक्राम भीष्मस्य स हि वाक्यम् अरिंदमः ॥
समुद्धूतो घनापाये वेलाम् इव महोदधिः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tasya bhīmasya bhīṣmeṇa vāryamāṇasya bhārata ||
guruṇā vividhair vākyaiḥ krodhaḥ praśamam āgataḥ ||
nāticakrāma bhīṣmasya sa hi vākyam ariṃdamaḥ ||
samuddhūto ghanāpāye velām iva mahodadhiḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तस्य भीमस्य भीष्मेणtasya bhīmasya bhīṣmeṇaof that Bhima, by Bhishma,
वार्यमाणस्य भारतvāryamāṇasya bhāratabeing restrained, O Bharata,
गुरुणा विविधैर् वाक्यैःguruṇā vividhair vākyaiḥthe elder, with various words,
क्रोधः प्रशमम् आगतःkrodhaḥ praśamam āgataḥthe wrath came to abate;
न अतिचक्राम भीष्मस्यna aticakrāma bhīṣmasyahe did not transgress Bhishma's
स हि वाक्यम् अरिंदमःsa hi vākyam ariṃdamaḥword, that tamer of foes, —
समुद्धूतो घन-अपायेsamuddhūto ghana-apāyesurging up at the end of the [rainy] season of clouds,
वेलाम् इव महा-उदधिःvelām iva mahā-udadhiḥas the great ocean [does not transgress] the shore.
नातिचक्रामnāticakrāmaoriginal form "nāticakrāma", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
घनापायेghanāpāyeoriginal form "ghanāpāye", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
महोदधिःmahodadhiḥoriginal form "mahodadhiḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
In that Bhima, restrained by elder Bhishma with various words, O Bharata, the wrath came to be stilled. And he, that tamer of foes, did not transgress Bhishma's word — as the great ocean, surging at the end of the season of clouds, does not transgress its shore.
Version
53fe27c1f275 · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:40:28 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Bhima, fearsome as the ocean in storm, still 'does not transgress Bhishma's word,' just as the sea does not transgress its shore. This obedience of strength to seniority is telling: the greatest might is tamed not by a greater might but by reverence. The verse teaches that one who is truly great knows how to master his own fury at the word of the worthy: to hold back a raised hand is harder than to strike, and in that restraint lies the higher valor. The ocean is mighty, but its shore is set from above; and strength that honors the limit set for it is nobler than strength unbridled. Obedience to the wise is an ornament, not a diminishment, of the mighty.