Mahabharata 6.49.32 — Bhishma Parva, Adhyaya 49, Shloka 32

Droṇa–Dhṛṣṭadyumna-yuddha (द्रोण-धृष्टद्युम्न-युद्धम्) — Tactical duel and allied interventions

Devanagari script

शरं चैव महाघोरं कालदण्डमिवापरम्‌

Transliteration

śaraṃ caiva mahāghoraṃ kāladaṇḍam ivāparam

Translation

Dan ia melepaskan sebuah anak panah yang amat mengerikan—laksana tongkat Maut yang lain.

Word by Word

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

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

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

• कालदण्डम्: the rod of Time (Yama's staff)
• कालदण्डम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालदण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अपरम्: another/second
• अपरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• śara (arrow)
• Kāla (Death/Time)
• daṇḍa (rod/staff of punishment)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the terrifying inevitability of death and consequence in war: once violence is unleashed, it can resemble the impartial ‘rod of Kāla,’ reminding readers that adharma-driven conflict invites inexorable suffering and karmic retribution.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Sañjaya’s battlefield narration, a warrior (contextually implied from surrounding verses) discharges an exceptionally fearsome arrow, compared to the punitive staff of Death/Time, signaling a lethal turning point in the combat.