Shloka 25

Devanagari script

ततः शरं महाघोरं ज्वलन्तमिव पावकम्‌ | आददे पाण्डुपुत्रस्य सूतपुत्रो जिघांसया,तब सूतपुत्रने पाण्डुकुमार अर्जुनका वध करनेके लिये जलती हुई आगके समान एक महाभयंकर बाण हाथमें लिया

Transliteration

tataḥ śaraṃ mahāghoraṃ jvalantam iva pāvakam | ādade pāṇḍuputrasya sūtaputro jighāṃsayā ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then the charioteer’s son (Karna), intent on killing the son of Pāṇḍu (Arjuna), took up a most dreadful arrow, blazing like fire—an act that marks the battle’s escalation into a deliberate, personal attempt at slaying a principal foe rather than merely winning ground.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: Avyaya

• शरम्: arrow
• शरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महाघोरम्: very terrible
• महाघोरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाघोर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ज्वलन्तम्: blazing
• ज्वलन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वल् (शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त: ज्वलन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular (present active participle)

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: Avyaya

• पावकम्: fire
• पावकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आददे: took up, seized
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (आ + दा)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पाण्डुपुत्रस्य: of the son of Pāṇḍu (Arjuna)
• पाण्डुपुत्रस्य: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डुपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सूतपुत्रः: the charioteer’s son (Karna)
• सूतपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जिघांसया: with the intention/desire to kill
• जिघांसया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हन् (देसिदेरिवेटिव: जिघांस्; तृतीया एकवचन)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular (desiderative noun: 'with the desire to kill')

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna (sūtaputra)
• Arjuna (Pāṇḍuputra)
• arrow (śara)
• fire (pāvaka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how inner intention (jighāṃsā—desire to kill) shapes the moral weight of action: in war, deeds are not only physical events but also ethical choices driven by resolve, rivalry, and purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Karna, determined to slay Arjuna, seizes a terrifying, fire-like arrow—signaling a decisive moment where Karna prepares a lethal strike against a central Pandava warrior.