Mahabharata — Bhishma Parva, 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

Санджая сказал: О Бхарата, оба они сияли красотой и пылающим блеском, подобно луне и солнцу. Но ими овладел и свирепый гнев: каждый жаждал смерти другого — великолепие, сопряжённое с мрачной решимостью битвы.

Word by Word

• उभौ: both (of them)
• उभौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• चन्द्रार्कसदृशौ: like the moon and the sun
• चन्द्रार्कसदृशौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र + अर्क + सदृश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• कान्त्या: by (their) beauty/splendor
• कान्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्ति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• दीप्त्या: by (their) radiance
• दीप्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप्ति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तथा: thus/so; likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• जातसंरम्भौ: whose fury/impetuosity had arisen
• जातसंरम्भौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात + संरम्भ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• अन्योन्यवधकाङ्क्षिणौ: desiring each other's slaying
• अन्योन्यवधकाङ्क्षिणौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्योन्य + वध + काङ्क्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)
• Moon (Candra)
• Sun (Arka/Āditya)

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.