Shloka 1163

Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana

Devanagari script

नाराचां क्रोधताम्राक्ष: प्रैषीन्मृत्युमिवान्तक: । तत्पश्चात्‌ क्रोधसे लाल आँखें किये अर्जुनने बड़ी उतावलीके साथ कर्णको लक्ष्य करके एक नाराच चलाया, मानो यमराजने किसीके लिये मौत भेज दी हो

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | nārācān krodha-tāmrākṣaḥ praiṣīn mṛtyum ivāntakaḥ |

Translation

قال سانجيا: ثم إن أرجونا، وقد احمرّت عيناه من الغضب، سارع فاستهدف كارنا وأطلق سهمًا من نوع ناراجا (nārāca)، كأن أنتاكا (الموت) قد بعث الموتَ نفسه إلى من كُتب عليه المصير.

Word by Word

• नाराचान्: iron arrows (narācas)
• नाराचान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाराच
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• क्रोधताम्राक्षः: he whose eyes are copper-red with anger
• क्रोधताम्राक्षः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोधताम्राक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रैषीत्: sent, discharged
• प्रैषीत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इष्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मृत्युम्: death
• मृत्युम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: as if, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अन्तकः: Yama, the ender (Death-god)
• अन्तकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Karṇa
• Antaka (Yama/Death)
• nārāca (arrow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral tension of war: intense anger can make a warrior’s action feel like inevitable death itself, reminding readers that even duty-bound combat risks being driven by wrath rather than dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Arjuna, his eyes reddened with anger, quickly aims at Karṇa and shoots a powerful nārāca arrow, compared to Death (Antaka) sending mortality toward someone.