Shloka 18

शूरलक्षणवर्णनम् | Marks and Typologies of Martial Temperament

Devanagari script

उग्रस्वरा मन्युमन्तो युद्धेष्वारावसारिण: । अधर्मज्ञावलिप्ताश्ष घोरा रौद्रप्रदर्शना:

Transliteration

ugrasvarā manyumanto yuddheṣv ārāvasāriṇaḥ | adharmajñāvaliptāś ca ghorā raudrapradarśanāḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ— କେତେକ କଠୋର ସ୍ୱରବାଳା ଏବଂ କ୍ରୋଧରେ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ; ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ସେମାନେ ଗର୍ଜନ କରି କରି ଘୁରନ୍ତି। ସେମାନେ ଧର୍ମବିବେକହୀନ, ଅହଂକାରରେ ଫୁଲିଥାନ୍ତି; ଆକୃତିରେ ଘୋର ଏବଂ ରୌଦ୍ର ଭାବ ପ୍ରଦର୍ଶନକାରୀ। ତାଙ୍କ ଦର୍ଶନମାତ୍ରେ ଭୟ ଜନ୍ମେ।

Word by Word

• उग्रस्वराः: having harsh voices
• उग्रस्वराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्रस्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मन्युमन्तः: wrathful, full of anger
• मन्युमन्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्युमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• युद्धेषु: in battles
• युद्धेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• आरावसारिणः: moving about roaring/crying out
• आरावसारिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आरावसारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अधर्मज्ञाः: knowers of adharma / not knowing dharma (contextual)
• अधर्मज्ञाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधर्मज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अवलिप्ताः: arrogant, puffed up
• अवलिप्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवलिप्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• घोराः: terrible, dreadful
• घोराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रौद्रप्रदर्शनाः: displaying fierceness
• रौद्रप्रदर्शनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्रप्रदर्शन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• battle (yuddha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma highlights moral degeneration: when anger and pride dominate, a person becomes ignorant of dharma, and even their speech and conduct turn violent and fear-inducing—an ethical warning against cultivating such traits, especially in contexts of power and conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction, Bhīṣma is describing a type of fearsome, unrighteous warrior—marked by harsh voice, roaring behavior in battle, and lack of dharma—using this characterization to support a broader discourse on conduct and righteousness.