Shloka 30

भीष्मस्य अप्रतिमपराक्रमः — शिखण्डिपुरस्कृतः प्रहारः

Bhīṣma’s unmatched momentum and the assault with Śikhaṇḍin in the lead

Devanagari script

उभौ चन्द्रार्कसदृशौ कान्त्या दीप्त्या च भारत | तथा तौ जातसंरम्भावन्योन्यवधकाड्क्षिणौ

Transliteration

ubhau candrārka-sadṛśau kāntyā dīptyā ca bhārata | tathā tau jāta-saṃrambhāv anyonya-vadha-kāṅkṣiṇau ||

Translation

സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ഭാരതാ! അവർ ഇരുവരും കാന്തിയിലും ദീപ്തിയിലും ചന്ദ്രസൂര്യന്മാരെപ്പോലെ തിളങ്ങി; എങ്കിലും ഉഗ്രകോപത്തിൽ ആകുലരായി, പരസ്പരവധാഭിലാഷത്തോടെ മുഖാമുഖം നിന്നു।

Word by Word

उभौboth (of them)

चन्द्रार्कसदृशौlike the moon and the sun

कान्त्याby (their) beauty/splendor

दीप्त्याby (their) radiance

चand

भारतO Bharata

तथाthus/so; likewise

तौthose two

जातसंरम्भौwhose fury/impetuosity had arisen

अन्योन्यवधकाङ्क्षिणौdesiring each other's slaying

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)

Moon (Candra)

Sun (Arka/Āditya)

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 juxtaposes outward splendor with inward fury: even the most radiant heroes can be driven by anger and mutual destructiveness. Ethically, it highlights how war magnifies both excellence and the peril of passions, urging discernment and restraint even amid duty-bound conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two opposing warriors (implied from context) facing each other in battle. They appear dazzling—likened to the moon and sun—yet are inflamed with combat-rage, each determined to kill the other.