Shloka 25

Devanagari script

ततः शरं महाघोरं ज्वलन्तमिव पावकम्‌ | आददे पाण्डुपुत्रस्य सूतपुत्रो जिघांसया,तब सूतपुत्रने पाण्डुकुमार अर्जुनका वध करनेके लिये जलती हुई आगके समान एक महाभयंकर बाण हाथमें लिया

Transliteration

tataḥ śaraṃ mahāghoraṃ jvalantam iva pāvakam | ādade pāṇḍuputrasya sūtaputro jighāṃsayā ||

Translation

Sañjaya disse: Então o filho do cocheiro (Karna), decidido a matar o filho de Pāṇḍu (Arjuna), tomou uma flecha terribilíssima, ardendo como fogo. O gesto assinala a escalada da batalha: já não é apenas conquistar terreno, mas uma tentativa deliberada e pessoal de abater um adversário principal.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

शरम्arrow

महाघोरम्very terrible

ज्वलन्तम्blazing

इवlike, as if

पावकम्fire

आददेtook up, seized

पाण्डुपुत्रस्यof the son of Pāṇḍu (Arjuna)

सूतपुत्रःthe charioteer’s son (Karna)

जिघांसयाwith the intention/desire to kill

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karna (sūtaputra)

Arjuna (Pāṇḍuputra)

arrow (śara)

fire (pāvaka)

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 inner intention (jighāṃsā—desire to kill) shapes the moral weight of action: in war, deeds are not only physical events but also ethical choices driven by resolve, rivalry, and purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Karna, determined to slay Arjuna, seizes a terrifying, fire-like arrow—signaling a decisive moment where Karna prepares a lethal strike against a central Pandava warrior.