Shloka 24

Devanagari script

तत्‌ तमो भैरवं घोरं भयकर्त महाहवे । उत्तमास्त्रेण महता ज्यौतिषेणार्जुनोडवधीत्‌,उस महासमरमें प्रकट हुए उस भयदायक घोर एवं भयानक अंधकारको अर्जुनने अपने विशाल उत्तम ज्योतिर्मय अस्त्रद्वारा नष्ट कर दिया

Transliteration

tat tamo bhairavaṁ ghoraṁ bhayakṛt mahāhave | uttamāstreṇa mahatā jyautiṣeṇārjuno ’vadhīt ||

Translation

ఆ మహాసమరంలో భయంకరమైన, ఘోరమైన, భైరవమైన అంధకారం ఉద్భవించింది. అర్జునుడు తన మహత్తరమైన, ఉత్తమమైన, జ్యోతిర్మయ అస్త్రంతో ఆ తమస్సును నిర్మూలించాడు.

Word by Word

तत्that

तमःdarkness

भैरवम्terrible, dreadful

घोरम्horrific, fierce

भयकृत्fear-causing

महाहवेin the great battle

उत्तमास्त्रेणby an excellent weapon

महताgreat, mighty

ज्यौतिषेणluminous, of light

अर्जुनःArjuna

अवधीत्destroyed, slew

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna

tamas (darkness)

uttamāstra (supreme weapon)

jyautiṣa/jyautişa astra (radiant weapon)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid overwhelming fear and confusion (symbolized by darkness), steadfast skill guided by dharma can restore clarity. The episode frames ‘light’ as discernment and morale in war: when panic spreads, the righteous warrior acts decisively to remove the cause of terror.

What is happening in the narrative?

A terrifying darkness manifests on the battlefield, creating fear among combatants. Arjuna counters it by releasing a powerful radiant weapon (a light-producing astra), which destroys the darkness and re-establishes visibility and order in the fight.