Shloka 43

धर्मरहस्योपदेशः

Dharma-rahasya Instruction: Vows, Truth, and Non-injury

Devanagari script

ततः सायकभिभन्नाड़: पाण्डव: क्रोधमूर्च्छित: । संरम्भामर्षताम्राक्ष: सूतपुत्रवधेप्सया,फिर कर्णके बाणोंसे सारा शरीर घायल हो जानेके कारण पाण्डुपुत्र भीमसेन क्रोधसे मूर्च्छित हो उठे। रोष और अमर्षसे उनकी आँखें लाल हो गयीं। उन्होंने सूतपुत्रके वधकी इच्छासे अपने धनुषपर एक अत्यन्त वेगशाली, भारसाधनमें समर्थ, उत्तम और पर्वतोंको भी विदीर्ण कर देनेवाले बाणका संधान किया

Transliteration

tataḥ sāyakabhibhinnāḍaḥ pāṇḍavaḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ | saṃrambhāmarṣatāmrākṣaḥ sūtaputravadhepsayā ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Da wurde der Pāṇḍava, dessen Leib von Pfeilen durchbohrt war, von einer Ohnmacht des Zorns überwältigt. Seine Augen, gerötet von Aufruhr und verletztem Stolz, richteten sich auf ein einziges Ziel: den Sohn des Wagenlenkers (Karṇa) zu töten.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

सायकैःwith arrows

अभिभिन्नाङ्गःwhose limbs were pierced all over

पाण्डवःthe Pandava (Bhima)

क्रोधमूर्च्छितःfainting/overpowered with anger

संरम्भामर्षताम्राक्षःwhose eyes were red from fury and indignation

सूतपुत्रवधेप्सयाwith the desire to slay the charioteer’s son (Karna)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāṇḍava (Bhīmasena, by context)

Karna (Sūtaputra)

arrows (sāyaka)

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 highlights how unchecked wrath and wounded pride (amarṣa) can eclipse discernment in war, narrowing one’s mind to a single destructive aim. It implicitly warns that even a righteous cause can be morally endangered when action is driven primarily by rage rather than disciplined duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being badly wounded by Karṇa’s arrows, Bhīmasena is overwhelmed by anger; his eyes redden with fury and resentment, and he becomes intent on killing Karṇa (called ‘Sūtaputra’).