Shloka 18
शूरलक्षणवर्णनम् | Marks and Typologies of Martial Temperament
उग्रस्वरा मन्युमन्तो युद्धेष्वारावसारिण: । अधर्मज्ञावलिप्ताश्ष घोरा रौद्रप्रदर्शना:
ugrasvarā manyumanto yuddheṣv ārāvasāriṇaḥ | adharmajñāvaliptāś ca ghorā raudrapradarśanāḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: “Some are harsh-voiced and full of wrath; in battle they roam about roaring. They are ignorant of dharma and swollen with pride—grim in form and displaying a fierce, violent demeanor. Their very appearance is terrifying.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma highlights moral degeneration: when anger and pride dominate, a person becomes ignorant of dharma, and even their speech and conduct turn violent and fear-inducing—an ethical warning against cultivating such traits, especially in contexts of power and conflict.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction, Bhīṣma is describing a type of fearsome, unrighteous warrior—marked by harsh voice, roaring behavior in battle, and lack of dharma—using this characterization to support a broader discourse on conduct and righteousness.