Shloka 7
Saṃvaraṇa–Tapatī Vivāhaḥ (The Marriage of Saṃvaraṇa and Tapatī) — Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva 163
महाकायो महावेगो दारयन्निव मेदिनीम् | लोहिताक्ष: करालश्न लोहितश्मश्रुमूर्थज:,उसका शरीर बहुत बड़ा था। वह इतने महान् वेगसे चलता था, मानो पृथ्वीको विदीर्ण कर देगा। उसकी आँखें रोषसे लाल हो रही थीं। आकृति बड़ी विकराल जान पड़ती थी। उसके दाढ़ी, मूँछ और सिरके बाल लाल रंगके थे
mahākāyo mahāvego dārayann iva medinīm | lohitākṣaḥ karālaś ca lohitaśmaśrumūrdhajaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: He was of gigantic frame and moved with tremendous speed, as though he would split the very earth. His eyes were reddened with fury; his appearance seemed terrifying. His beard, moustache, and the hair upon his head were all of a reddish hue.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how outward signs—speed, size, red eyes, and a terrifying look—can signal inner agitation such as anger. In Mahābhārata’s ethical world, uncontrolled wrath is a dangerous force that can disturb social order and lead to harm, so such descriptions function as moral warning as well as narrative color.
The narrator (Vaiśampāyana) is vividly describing a formidable figure approaching or moving with immense force. The imagery—‘as if splitting the earth’ and ‘red-eyed’—builds suspense and conveys the character’s ferocity and the fear he inspires.