Mahabharata · 6.50.1-2
॥
Devanāgarī
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच
तथा प्रतिसमादिष्टः कलिङ्गो वाहिनीपतिः ॥
कथम् अद्भुतकर्माणं भीमसेनं महाबलम् ॥
चरन्तं गदया वीरं दण्डपाणिम् इवान्तकम् ॥
योधयाम् आस समरे कलिङ्गः सह सेनया ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
tathā pratisamādiṣṭaḥ kaliṅgo vāhinīpatiḥ ||
katham adbhutakarmāṇaṃ bhīmasenaṃ mahābalam ||
carantaṃ gadayā vīraṃ daṇḍapāṇim ivāntakam ||
yodhayām āsa samare kaliṅgaḥ saha senayā ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
धृतराष्ट्र उवाचdhṛtarāṣṭra uvācaDhritarashtra said; Dhritarashtra asked
तथा प्रतिसमादिष्टःtathā pratisamādiṣṭaḥthus commanded; thus instructed
कलिङ्गः वाहिनीपतिःkaliṅgaḥ vāhinīpatiḥKalinga, lord of the army; the Kalinga commander
कथम् अद्भुतकर्माणम्katham adbhutakarmāṇamhow the doer of wondrous deeds; in what way the one marvelous in deeds
भीमसेनम् महाबलम्bhīmasenam mahābalammighty Bhimasena; the strongest Bhima
चरन्तम् गदया वीरम्carantam gadayā vīramthe hero wielding a mace; the warrior moving with a club
दण्डपाणिम् इव अन्तकम्daṇḍapāṇim iva antakamlike Death with his staff; like Yama with his rod
योधयाम् आस समरेyodhayām āsa samaremade to fight in battle; waged war in the combat
कलिङ्गः सह सेनयाkaliṅgaḥ saha senayāKalinga together with his army; the Kalinga king with his forces
Translation
Dhritarashtra said: ‘Having received such a command, how did Kalinga, lord of the army, together with his forces, fight against mighty Bhimasena, the hero of wondrous deeds, who moved about with his mace like Death with his staff?’
Version
d149ca1886e8 · published Jul 17, 2026, 9:12:34 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Dhritarashtra's question at once singles out Bhima as an almost superhuman force. Yet in the epic such might is still revealed within duty and the support of allies, not as fury standing alone.