Shloka 12

Bhīṣma–Jāmadagnya-saṃvādaḥ

Bhishma’s account of the encounter with Rāma Jāmadagnya

Devanagari script

निर्मुक्तानां पन्नगानां सरूपा दृष्टवा शक्तीहेंमचित्रा निकृत्ता: । प्रादुश्चक्रे दिव्यमस्त्रं महात्मा क्रोधाविष्टो हैहयेशप्रमाथी

Transliteration

nirmuktānāṁ pannagānāṁ sarūpā dṛṣṭvā śaktī hema-citrā nikṛttāḥ | prāduścakre divyam astraṁ mahātmā krodhāviṣṭo haihayeśa-pramāthī ||

Translation

ಬಂಗಾರದಿಂದ ಅಲಂಕರಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟು ನಾನಾವಿಧ ವಿನ್ಯಾಸಗಳಿಂದ ಮಿನುಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಕತ್ತರಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟ ಶಕ್ತಿಗಳು—ಚರ್ಮ ಬಿಟ್ಟ ಹಾವುಗಳಂತೆ—ಸುತ್ತಲೂ ಬಿದ್ದಿರುವುದನ್ನು ಕಂಡು, ಕ್ರೋಧಾವಿಷ್ಟನಾಗಿ, ಹೈಹಯೇಶನನ್ನು ದಮನಿಸಿದ ಆ ಮಹಾತ್ಮನು ಒಂದು ದಿವ್ಯಾಸ್ತ್ರವನ್ನು ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಿದನು।

Word by Word

निर्मुक्तानाम्of the released (set free)

पन्नगानाम्of the serpents

सरूपाःsimilar in form / of like appearance

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

शक्तीःspears / javelins

हेमचित्राःgold-adorned / variegated with gold

निकृत्ताःcut off / severed

प्रादुश्चक्रेmanifested / brought forth

दिव्यम्divine

अस्त्रम्weapon (missile)

महात्माthe great-souled one

क्रोधाविष्टःpossessed by anger

हैहयेशप्रमाथीthe crusher of the lord of the Haihayas

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

śakti (spear/javelin)

divya astra (divine weapon)

pannaga (serpents)

Haihaya lord (haihayeśa)

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 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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.