Shloka 53

भीष्मवधोपाय-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into the means to overcome Bhīṣma) | Chapter 103

Devanagari script

परस्परमवेक्षेतां कालानलसमौ युधि । तयो: समागमो घोरो बभूव कटुकोदय:

Transliteration

parasparam avekṣetāṃ kālānalasamau yudhi | tayoḥ samāgamo ghoro babhūva kaṭukodayaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Mitten im Kampf blickten die beiden einander unablässig an, gleich dem Tod und dem alles verzehrenden Feuer Kālānala. Ihre Begegnung war schaurig und erhob sich wie ein bitterer, unheilvoller Wendepunkt—ein Vorzeichen harter Folgen, geboren aus der Raserei des Krieges.

Word by Word

परस्परम्mutually, each other

अवेक्षेताम्the two looked at

कालानलसमौequal to the fire of Time (like the fire at dissolution)

युधिin battle

तयोःof those two

समागमःencounter, meeting

घोरःterrible

बभूवbecame, was

कटुक-उदयःhaving a bitter outcome / bitter in its result

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

the two warriors (unnamed in this verse)

Kāla (Death/Time, personified)

Anala (Fire, personified)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how war magnifies destructive forces: when great opponents meet, the encounter can resemble impersonal powers like Death and Fire, reminding readers that violence invites harsh, bitter outcomes beyond personal rivalry.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two formidable combatants facing each other on the battlefield, exchanging intense looks before clashing; their confrontation is portrayed as terrifying and portentous, signaling a severe and painful escalation in the war.