Shloka 28

Bhīṣma’s Retrospective of the Jāmadagnya Rāma Encounter

Divyāstra-Pratiyuddha and Twilight Cessation

Devanagari script

महर्षय: कृपायुक्ता: क्रोधाविष्टोडथ भार्गव: । स मे5हरदमेयात्मा शरं कालानलोपमम्‌

Transliteration

maharṣayaḥ kṛpāyuktāḥ krodhāviṣṭo ’tha bhārgavaḥ | sa me ’harad ameyātmā śaraṃ kālānalopamam ||

Translation

قال بهيشما: «تدخّل الحكماء العظام بدافع الرحمة؛ غير أنّ البهارغفا (باراشوراما)، وقد استبدّ به الغضب، وبنفسٍ لا تُقاس، انتزع منّي ذلك السهم—سهمًا كأنه نار الزمان ذاته.»

Word by Word

महर्षयःgreat sages

कृपायुक्ताःendowed with compassion

क्रोधाविष्टःpossessed by anger

उतand/also

भार्गवःBhārgava (Paraśurāma)

सःhe

मेto me

अहरत्took away / seized

अमेयात्माwhose self is immeasurable (of immeasurable might)

शरम्arrow

कालानलोपमम्like the fire of Time (like the fire at the end of the age)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Maharṣis (great seers)

Bhārgava (Paraśurāma)

Śara (arrow/missile)

Kālānala (the fire of Time)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Compassionate counsel (kṛpā) seeks to prevent harm, but anger (krodha) can override even venerable authority and turn power into destruction; ethical strength lies in restraint and right use of force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma recounts that compassionate sages were present, yet Paraśurāma—overcome by anger—took from Bhīṣma a fearsome arrow likened to the fire of Time, highlighting the escalating danger of the confrontation.