Shloka 88
गौरुडव्यूह-रचना तथा अर्धचन्द्र-प्रत्यव्यूह
Garuḍa Array and the Ardhacandra Counter-Formation
शक्ति विनिहतां दृष्टवा वैराटि: क्रोधमूर्च्छित:,गदां जग्राह संहृष्टो भीष्मस्य निधन प्रति । अपनी शक्तिको इस प्रकार विफल हुई देख विराटपुत्र श्वेत क्रोधसे मूर्च्छित हो गये। कालने उनकी विवेक-शक्तिको नष्ट कर दिया था; अतः उन्हें अपने कर्तव्यका भान न रहा। उन्होंने हर्षसे उत्साहित हो हँसते-हँसते भीष्मको मार डालनेके लिये हाथमें गदा उठा ली
śaktiṁ vinihatāṁ dṛṣṭvā vairāṭiḥ krodha-mūrcchitaḥ | gadāṁ jagrāha saṁhṛṣṭo bhīṣmasya nidhanaṁ prati ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing his spear-throw rendered futile, the son of Virāṭa, overcome by a swoon of anger, exultantly seized a mace, intent on bringing about Bhīṣma’s death. The moment shows how wrath can eclipse discernment in battle, turning duty into reckless vengeance.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger (krodha) can overwhelm judgment, making a warrior lose विवेक (discernment) and rush from rightful duty into impulsive vengeance—an ethical warning embedded within the war narrative.
After his spear attack is thwarted, Virāṭa’s son Śveta becomes enraged and, in excited confidence, grabs a mace with the intention of killing Bhīṣma, as Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.