Shloka 12
Bhīṣma–Jāmadagnya-saṃvādaḥ
Bhishma’s account of the encounter with Rāma Jāmadagnya
निर्मुक्तानां पन्नगानां सरूपा दृष्टवा शक्तीहेंमचित्रा निकृत्ता: । प्रादुश्चक्रे दिव्यमस्त्रं महात्मा क्रोधाविष्टो हैहयेशप्रमाथी
nirmuktānāṁ pannagānāṁ sarūpā dṛṣṭvā śaktī hema-citrā nikṛttāḥ | prāduścakre divyam astraṁ mahātmā krodhāviṣṭo haihayeśa-pramāthī ||
Melihat śakti-śakti yang tertebas itu—berhias emas, berkilau dengan ragam ukiran—tergeletak laksana ular yang telah menanggalkan kulitnya, sang kesatria berhati agung, yang dihantui amarah dan dikenal sebagai penakluk raja Haihaya, pun menampakkan sebuah senjata ilahi.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger can unleash formidable, even ‘divine’ force in warfare, but implicitly warns that power arising from wrath is ethically dangerous; a dharmic warrior must strive to keep judgment and restraint even amid provocation.
After seeing severed, gold-decorated spears strewn about—likened to snakes’ shed skins—the great warrior (described as a crusher of the Haihaya lord) becomes enraged and brings forth a celestial weapon, escalating the conflict.