Shloka 16

भीष्मपातने कर्णविलापः | Karṇa’s Lament upon Seeing Bhīṣma Fallen

Devanagari script

समिद्धो5ग्निर्यथा वीर महाज्वालो द्रुमान्‌ दहेत्‌

Transliteration

samiddho 'gnir yathā vīra mahājvālo drumān dahet

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「勇士よ、よく焚きつけられ、大いなる炎を上げる火が樹々を焼き尽くすように、あの戦士の憤怒と力もまた、前に立つ者すべてを呑み込まんばかりであった。」

Word by Word

• समिद्धः: kindled, blazing
• समिद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समिद्ध (सम् + इन्ध्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अग्निः: fire
• अग्निः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• वीर: O hero
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• महाज्वालः: having great flames, with huge blaze
• महाज्वालः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाज्वाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्रुमान्: trees
• द्रुमान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• दहेत्: would burn
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• fire (agni)
• trees (druma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses a vivid simile to convey how unchecked martial power can become indiscriminate and consuming—like fire that does not distinguish among trees. Ethically, it highlights the terrifying momentum of violence in war and the need for restraint and discernment (dharma) amid destructive capability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, describes a warrior’s overwhelming, blazing energy on the battlefield. The comparison to a great fire signals that the fighter’s advance threatens to burn through opposing forces as easily as flames consume a forest.