Shloka 52

भीष्मवधोपाय-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into the means to overcome Bhīṣma) | Chapter 103

Devanagari script

तौ समेतौ महायुद्धे क्रोधदीप्तौ परस्परम्‌ । महाबलौ महाराज क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनौ

Transliteration

tau sametau mahāyuddhe krodhadīptau parasparam | mahābalau mahārāja krodhasaṃraktalocanau ||

Translation

ข้าแต่มหาราช ในมหาสงครามนั้นทั้งสองเข้าประจันหน้า ต่างลุกโชนด้วยโทสะต่อกัน เป็นผู้มีกำลังยิ่งใหญ่ และดวงตาแดงฉานด้วยความเดือดดาล

Word by Word

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

• समेतौ: having come together, met
• समेतौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समेत (सम् + इ + क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• महायुद्धे: in the great battle
• महायुद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायुद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• क्रोधदीप्तौ: blazing with anger
• क्रोधदीप्तौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोधदीप्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• परस्परम्: each other, mutually
• परस्परम्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर
• Form: true

• महाबलौ: very strong, of great strength
• महाबलौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनौ: whose eyes were reddened with anger
• क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोधसंरक्तलोचन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral danger of krodha: anger intensifies hostility, reddens perception (symbolized by bloodshot eyes), and can overpower judgment even in great warriors—an ethical warning embedded within the war narrative.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that two formidable combatants have closed in upon each other in the great battle, both enraged and ready for a fierce clash.