Shloka 28

Bhīṣma’s Retrospective of the Jāmadagnya Rāma Encounter

Divyāstra-Pratiyuddha and Twilight Cessation

Devanagari script

महर्षय: कृपायुक्ता: क्रोधाविष्टोडथ भार्गव: । स मे5हरदमेयात्मा शरं कालानलोपमम्‌

Transliteration

maharṣayaḥ kṛpāyuktāḥ krodhāviṣṭo ’tha bhārgavaḥ | sa me ’harad ameyātmā śaraṃ kālānalopamam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma disse: “Os grandes rishis, movidos pela compaixão, intervieram; mas o Bhārgava (Paraśurāma), tomado pela ira, de espírito imensurável, arrancou-me aquela flecha—uma flecha como o fogo do próprio Tempo.”

Word by Word

महर्षयःgreat sages

कृपायुक्ताःendowed with compassion

क्रोधाविष्टःpossessed by anger

उतand/also

भार्गवःBhārgava (Paraśurāma)

सःhe

मेto me

अहरत्took away / seized

अमेयात्माwhose self is immeasurable (of immeasurable might)

शरम्arrow

कालानलोपमम्like the fire of Time (like the fire at the end of the age)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Maharṣis (great seers)

Bhārgava (Paraśurāma)

Śara (arrow/missile)

Kālānala (the fire of Time)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Compassionate counsel (kṛpā) seeks to prevent harm, but anger (krodha) can override even venerable authority and turn power into destruction; ethical strength lies in restraint and right use of force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma recounts that compassionate sages were present, yet Paraśurāma—overcome by anger—took from Bhīṣma a fearsome arrow likened to the fire of Time, highlighting the escalating danger of the confrontation.