Shloka 80

Devanagari script

ततः किरीटी भृशमुग्रनि:स्वनं महाशरं सर्पविषानलोपमम्‌ । अयस्मयं रौद्रमहास्त्रसम्भृतं महाहवे क्षेप्तुमना महामति:,तब परम बुद्धिमान्‌ किरीटधारी अर्जुनने उस महासमरमें कर्णपर भयानक शब्द करनेवाले, सर्पवविष और अग्निके समान तेजस्वी लोहनिर्मित तथा महारौद्रास्त्रसे अभिमन्त्रित विशाल बाण छोड़नेका विचार किया

Transliteration

tataḥ kirīṭī bhṛśam ugraniḥsvanaṃ mahāśaraṃ sarpaviṣānalopamam | ayasmayaṃ raudramahāstrasambhṛtaṃ mahāhave kṣeptumanā mahāmatiḥ ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。すると、宝冠を戴く大智の勇者アルジュナは、その大合戦のただ中で、カルナに向けて放つことを決し、恐るべき轟音を発する巨大な矢を用意した。鉄で作られ、蛇毒と火のように燃えさかり、凄絶なる大アストラ（真言により加持された霊威）によって力を帯びたものであった。

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

किरीटीthe diadem-wearer (Arjuna)

भृशम्exceedingly, greatly

उग्र-निःस्वनम्having a fierce sound

महाशरम्a great arrow

सर्प-विष-अनल-उपमम्like serpent-venom and fire

अयस्मयम्made of iron

रौद्र-महास्त्र-सम्भृतम्charged/empowered with the fierce great weapon (Raudra astra)

महाहवेin the great battle

क्षेप्तुम्to hurl, to cast

मनःmind, intention

महामतिःthe great-minded one

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna (Kirīṭī)

Karṇa

mahāśara (great arrow)

raudra-mahāstra (dreadful great astra)

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 moral tension of warfare: even a righteous warrior may feel compelled to employ terrifying, mantra-empowered force when facing a formidable opponent. It invites reflection on proportionality, restraint, and the ethical cost of escalation—even when one believes one fights for dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Arjuna preparing to launch a massive, iron arrow, charged with a fierce great astra, roaring loudly and likened to venom and fire—directed against Karṇa in the thick of the great battle.