FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.1.37

किं वा कृताघेष्वघमत्यमर्षी भीमोऽहिवद्दीर्घतमं व्यमुञ्चत् । यस्याङ्‌घ्रि पातं रणभूर्न सेहे मार्गं गदायाश्चरतो विचित्रम् ॥ ३७ ॥
kiṁ vā kṛtāgheṣv agham atyamarṣī
[kim vaa kritaagheshv agham atyamarshee]
bhīmo ’hivad dīrghatamaṁ vyamuñcat
[bheemo ’hivad deerghatamam vyamunchat]
yasyāṅghri-pātaṁ raṇa-bhūr na sehe
[yasyaanghri-paatam rana-bhoor na sehe]
mārgaṁ gadāyāś carato vicitram
[maargam gadaayaash charato vichitram]
Word-for-word
kim — whether vā — either kṛta — performed agheṣu — unto the sinners agham — anger ati-amarṣī — unconquerable bhīmaḥ — Bhīma ahi-vat — like a cobra dīrgha-tamam — long-cherished vyamuñcat — has released yasya — whose aṅghri-pātam — putting on the steps raṇa-bhūḥ — the field of battle na — could not sehe — tolerate mārgam — the path gadāyāḥ — by the clubs carataḥ — playing vicitram — wonderful.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kiṁ vā kṛtāgheṣv agham atyamarṣī
kim
whether
vā
either
kṛta
performed
agheṣu
unto the sinners
agham
anger
ati-amarṣī
unconquerable
bhīmo ’hivad dīrghatamaṁ vyamuñcat
bhīmaḥ
Bhīma
ahi-vat
like a cobra
dīrgha-tamam
long-cherished
vyamuñcat
has released
yasyāṅghri-pātaṁ raṇa-bhūr na sehe
yasya
whose
aṅghri-pātam
putting on the steps
raṇa-bhūḥ
the field of battle
na
could not
sehe
tolerate
mārgaṁ gadāyāś carato vicitram
mārgam
the path
gadāyāḥ
by the clubs
carataḥ
playing
vicitram
wonderful.
[Please tell me] whether the unconquerable Bhīma, who is like a cobra, has released his long-cherished anger upon the sinners? The field of battle could not tolerate even the wonderful playing of his club when he stepped on the path.
Purport

Vidura knew the strength of Bhīma. Whenever Bhīma was on the battlefield, his steps on the path and the wonderful playing of his club were unbearable for the enemy. Powerful Bhīma did not take steps against the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra for a long time. Vidura’s inquiry was whether he had yet released his anger, which was like that of a suffering cobra. When a cobra releases its venom after long-cherished anger, its victim cannot survive.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Has snake-like, intensely angry Bhīma, wandering over the battle field with his club and other weapons, whose footsteps the battlefield could not tolerate, given up his long standing anger towards those who offended him? Has snake-like Bhīma given up the impurity (agham), like poison, caused by thinking for a long time of killing the Kurus who offended him?
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Patient anger held for the right cause is not weakness; it is rationed power. Bhima waited a long time before releasing his fury. Devotees too may carry strong feeling, but they release it under dharma, not impulse.
Reflection Questions
  • What anger are you carrying that needs release on the field of dharma rather than at home?
  • What is the difference between bottling anger and patiently holding it for the right moment?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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