Shloka 50

Bhīṣma-nipāta-saṃvāda — Sañjaya’s Report of Bhīṣma’s Fall (भीष्मनिपातसंवादः)

Devanagari script

तस्मान्नूनं महावीर्याद्धार्गवाद युद्धदुर्मदात्‌

Transliteration

tasmān nūnaṃ mahāvīryād dhārgavād yuddha-durmadāt

Translation

Therefore, it must be that this outcome has arisen from the mighty Dhārgava, intoxicated with the arrogance of battle.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: from him/therefore
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, ablative, singular

• नूनम्: surely, indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम्

• महावीर्यात्: from (one of) great prowess
• महावीर्यात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महावीर्य
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

• धार्गवात्: from the Bhārgava (descendant of Bhṛgu)
• धार्गवात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्गव
• Form: masculine, ablative, singular

• युद्धदुर्मदात्: from the battle-maddened (one)
• युद्धदुर्मदात्: Apadana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्धदुर्मद
• Form: masculine, ablative, singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhārgava (Bhārgava; commonly Paraśurāma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how martial power, when joined with battle-intoxicated arrogance (durmada), becomes a morally dangerous force whose consequences are felt by others; it warns that prowess without restraint and dharmic self-control leads to harmful outcomes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra draws an inference about the cause behind events being reported to him, attributing them to the agency of a formidable Bhārgava figure—described as proud and war-maddened—thereby framing the unfolding situation as driven by overwhelming, aggressive martial energy.