Shloka 88

Devanagari script

शक्ति विनिहतां दृष्टवा वैराटि: क्रोधमूर्च्छित:

Transliteration

śaktiṁ vinihatāṁ dṛṣṭvā vairāṭiḥ krodha-mūrcchitaḥ | gadāṁ jagrāha saṁhṛṣṭo bhīṣmasya nidhanaṁ prati ||

Translation

संजय बोले—अपनी शक्ति को इस प्रकार निष्फल हुई देखकर विराटपुत्र (श्वेत) क्रोध से मूर्च्छित हो गया; हर्षोन्मत्त होकर उसने भीष्म के वध के लिए हाथ में गदा उठा ली।

Word by Word

• शक्तिम्: the spear/weapon (śakti)
• शक्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• विनिहताम्: struck down / rendered ineffective
• विनिहताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-नि-हन् (क्त)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• वैराटिः: the son of Virāṭa (Śveta)
• वैराटिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैराटि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रोध-मूर्च्छितः: fainted/overpowered by anger
• क्रोध-मूर्च्छितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध + मूर्च्छित (मूर्छ् + क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गदाम्: a mace
• गदाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• जग्राह: seized/took up
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• संहृष्टः: exhilarated / delighted
• संहृष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-हृष् (क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भीष्मस्य: of Bhīṣma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• निधनम्: death / destruction
• निधनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards / with regard to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Vairāṭi (Śveta, son of Virāṭa)
• śakti (spear/javelin)
• gadā (mace)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger (krodha) can overwhelm judgment, making a warrior lose विवेक (discernment) and rush from rightful duty into impulsive vengeance—an ethical warning embedded within the war narrative.

What is happening in the narrative?

After his spear attack is thwarted, Virāṭa’s son Śveta becomes enraged and, in excited confidence, grabs a mace with the intention of killing Bhīṣma, as Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.