Shloka 226

Adhyāya 104 — Śikhaṇḍin-puraskāraḥ (Śikhaṇḍin as Vanguard) and Bhīṣma’s Counter-Advance

Devanagari script

प्रादुश्षक्रे महामायां तामसीं परतापनाम्‌ | फिर समरांगणमें शत्रुसे पीड़ित एवं विमुख हुए राक्षसने शत्रुओंको तपानेवाली अपनी (अन्धकारमयी) तामसी महामाया प्रकट की

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | prāduścakre mahāmāyāṃ tāmasīṃ paratāpanām |

Translation

Sañjaya said: The rākṣasa, hard-pressed by the enemy and turning away on the battlefield, manifested his great illusion—dark, tamasic, and tormenting to foes—seeking to bewilder opponents rather than meet them with straightforward valor.

Word by Word

• प्रादुः: manifestly, forth
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रादुस्
• Form: Avyaya

• चक्रे: made, brought about, manifested
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd person, singular, Parasmaipada

• महामायाम्: great illusion (magic power)
• महामायाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामाया
• Form: Feminine, accusative, singular

• तामसीम्: dark, of darkness
• तामसीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामसी
• Form: Feminine, accusative, singular

• परतापनाम्: tormenting enemies
• परतापनाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परतापना
• Form: Feminine, accusative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• mahāmāyā (tāmasī)
• rākṣasa (unnamed, implied)
• enemies/foes (śatru, implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts open, dharmic combat with tamasic deception: when overwhelmed, the rākṣasa resorts to dark illusion to harm and confuse foes, highlighting how tamas (delusion/obscurity) can replace straightforward courage and clarity in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that, on the battlefield, a rākṣasa who has been harried by enemies and has turned away manifests a powerful, darkness-based magical illusion intended to torment and disorient the opposing side.