Shloka 57

Devanagari script

त॑ दृष्टवा सहसा यान्तं सूतपुत्रजिघांसया । शोकोपहतसंकल्पं दह्मानमिवाग्निना

Transliteration

taṁ dṛṣṭvā sahasā yāntaṁ sūtaputra-jighāṁsayā | śokopahata-saṅkalpaṁ dahyamānam ivāgninā ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Seeing him rushing forward in sudden haste, intent on killing the charioteer’s son, his resolve shattered by grief, he appeared as though he were being consumed by fire.

Word by Word

तम्him

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

सहसाsuddenly, at once

यान्तम्going, proceeding

सूतपुत्रजिघांसयाwith the desire to kill the charioteer’s son

शोक-उपहत-संकल्पम्whose resolve was struck down by grief

दह्यमानम्being burnt, burning

इवlike, as if

अग्निनाby fire

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karna (Sūtaputra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how grief can shatter steady resolve and distort ethical judgment, pushing a person toward impulsive retaliation; it warns that inner turmoil can be as destructive as external weapons in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior who, driven by the intent to kill Karṇa (the charioteer’s son), rushes forward suddenly; his mind is overwhelmed by sorrow, and he seems to burn inwardly like one consumed by fire.