Shloka 26
अध्याय ५०: उत्तरेण सह अर्जुनस्य रथप्रयाणे ध्वजचिह्नैः कौरवसेनानिर्देशः
Arjuna directs Uttara by identifying Kaurava commanders through banners
अन्तकः पवनो मृत्युस्तथाग्निर्वडवामुख: । कुर्युरेते क्वचिच्छेषं न तु क्रुद्धो धनंजय:,यमराज, वायु, मृत्यु और बड़वानल--ये चाहे जड़-मूलसे नष्ट न करें, कुछ बाकी छोड़ दें, परंतु अर्जुन कुपित होनेपर कुछ भी नहीं छोड़ेंगे
antakaḥ pavano mṛtyus tathāgnir vaḍavāmukhaḥ | kuryur ete kvacic cheṣaṃ na tu kruddho dhanaṃjayaḥ ||
Kṛpa said: “Antaka (Yama), the wind, Death, and even fire with the mare’s-mouth blaze may sometimes leave something remaining; but Dhanañjaya (Arjuna), when angered, leaves nothing at all.”
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how uncontrolled anger in a powerful person becomes utterly destructive. Even cosmic forces may leave remnants, but a wrathful hero can become ‘total’ in devastation—an implicit ethical caution about mastering krodha (anger), especially in the context of dharmic warfare.
Kṛpa is speaking in a martial context, emphasizing Arjuna’s unmatched capacity for destruction when provoked. By comparing him to Yama, wind, death, and fire, Kṛpa signals to listeners that confronting Arjuna in his fury is tantamount to facing annihilation.