Shloka 126

Adhyāya 6: Śibira-dvāra-sthita Bhūta-varṇana and Aśvatthāmā’s Śaraṇāgati to Mahādeva

Devanagari script

रथशक्तिं मुमोचासौ दीप्तामग्निशिखामिव । अश्वत्थामाने जो-जो बाण छोड़े, उन सबको वह महाभूत निगल गया। अपने बाण- समूहोंको व्यर्थ हुआ देख अभश्रवत्थामाने प्रज्वलित अग्निशिखाके समान देदीप्यमान रथशक्ति छोड़ी

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

rathaśaktiṁ mumocāsau dīptām agniśikhām iva |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Seeing his volleys of arrows rendered futile, he released a blazing ratha-śakti, radiant like a tongue of fire. The scene underscores how, in the frenzy of war, frustration at thwarted effort drives combatants to ever more destructive weapons, escalating violence beyond restraint.

Word by Word

रथशक्तिम्the chariot-spear (a spear kept on a chariot)

मुमोचreleased/let go

असौthat one (he)

दीप्ताम्blazing, shining

अग्निशिखाम्a flame of fire

इवlike, as if

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

rathaśakti (weapon)

Agni (fire, as simile)

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?

When anger and frustration govern action, conflict escalates into harsher means; the verse highlights the ethical danger of letting thwarted pride drive one toward more destructive choices.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that, after his arrows prove ineffective, the warrior releases a blazing ratha-śakti—an especially powerful missile—likened to a flame, intensifying the battle’s ferocity.