Shloka 35

Devanagari script

ते दीप्तजिद्दानलतीकक्षणदंष्टा विभीषणा: शैलनिकाशकाया: । नभोगता: शक्तिविषक्तहस्ता मेघा व्यमुज्चन्निव वृष्टिमुग्राम्‌,पर्वतके समान विशाल शरीरवाले और प्रज्वलित जिह्_लासे आग उगलनेवाले तीखी दाढ़ोंसे युक्त भयानक राक्षस हाथोंमें शक्ति लिये आकाशमें पहुँचकर मेघोंके समान कौरवदलपर शश्त्रोंकी उग्र वर्षा करने लगे

Transliteration

te dīptajihvādānalatīkṣaṇadaṃṣṭrā vibhīṣaṇāḥ śailanikāśakāyāḥ | nabhogatāḥ śaktivisaktahastā meghā vyamuñcann iva vṛṣṭim ugrām ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Rākṣasa-rākṣasa mengerikan itu—bertubuh sebesar gunung, berlidah menyala memuntahkan api, dan bertaring tajam—terbang ke angkasa dengan tombak-śakti di tangan, lalu bagaikan awan badai menumpahkan hujan senjata yang ganas ke atas bala Kaurava.

Word by Word

तेthey (those)

दीप्तजिह्वाhaving blazing tongues

दावानलतीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राःwhose sharp fangs are like a forest-fire

विभीषणाःterrifying

शैलनिकाशकायाःhaving bodies like mountains

नभोगताःgone into the sky; sky-borne

शक्तिविषक्तहस्ताःwith hands holding spears (śakti)

मेघाःclouds

व्यमुञ्चन्they released; they poured forth

इवas if; like

वृष्टिम्a rain; a shower

उग्राम्fierce

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

rākṣasas

śakti (spear/javelin)

Kaurava army (Kaurava host)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dehumanizing momentum of war: once violence escalates, it appears as an unstoppable natural force (cloudburst), overwhelming ethical restraint and spreading terror across armies.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes terrifying rākṣasas, mountain-like in size, rising into the sky with spears and unleashing a fierce shower of weapons upon the Kaurava forces, compared to storm-clouds pouring heavy rain.