Shloka 22

Devanagari script

तमापततन्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य विरूपाक्षं विभीषणम्‌

Transliteration

tam āpatatantaṃ samprekṣya virūpākṣaṃ vibhīṣaṇam

Translation

तमापतन्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य विरूपाक्षं विभीषणम् ।

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आपततन्तम्: falling/charging (towards)
• आपततन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb-derived Adjective
• Root: आपत् (धातु: पत्/आपत्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• सम्प्रेक्ष्य: having looked at/observed
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + ईक्ष्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• विरूपाक्षम्: Virūpākṣa (the odd-eyed one)
• विरूपाक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (Proper name/Epithet)
• Root: विरूपाक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विभीषणम्: Vibhīṣaṇa
• विभीषणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (Proper name)
• Root: विभीषण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how perception shapes moral and emotional response in war: the sight of a terrifying onrushing foe triggers fear, testing steadiness and discernment amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a moment on the battlefield where a dreadful-looking warrior charges in; those watching notice his frightening appearance and the imminent threat he represents.