Shloka 23

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 103 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Gāndhārī Vivāha: Proposal, Consent, and the Vow

Devanagari script

सवर्मभिर्भूणैश्व प्रकीर्यद्धिरितस्तत: । सक्रोधामर्षजिद्य भ्रूकूषायीकृतलोचना:,जनमेजय! जल्दबाजीके कारण उन सबके आभूषण और कवच इधर-उधर गिर पड़ते थे। उस समय ऐसा जान पड़ता था, मानो आकाशमण्डलसे तारे टूट-टूटकर गिर रहे हों। कितने ही योद्धाओंके कवच और गहने इधर-उधर बिखर गये। क्रोध और अमर्षके कारण उनकी भौंहें टेढ़ी और आँखें लाल हो गयी थीं। सारथियोंने सुन्दर रथ सजाकर उनमें सुन्दर अश्व जोत दिये थे। उन रथोंपर बैठकर सब प्रकारके अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंसे सम्पन्न हो हथियार उठाये हुए उन वीरोंने जाते हुए कुरुनन्दन भीष्मजीका पीछा किया। जनमेजय! तदनन्तर उन राजाओं और भीष्मजीका घोर संग्राम हुआ। भीष्मजी अकेले थे और राजालोग बहुत। उनमें रोंगटे खड़े कर देनेवाला भयंकर संग्राम छिड़ गया

Transliteration

sa-varmabhir bhūṣaṇaiś ca prakīryadbhir itaḥ tataḥ | sa-krodhāmarṣa-jidya bhrūkūṣāyīkṛta-locanāḥ, janamejaya |

Translation

Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Sa kanilang pagmamadali, nagkalat dito at doon ang kanilang baluti at mga palamuti habang sumusugod—na wari’y mga bituing kumakalas at nahuhulog mula sa kalangitan. Maraming mandirigma ang napatapon ang kanilang panangga sa dibdib at mga hiyas. Dahil sa galit at sugatang dangal, kumunot ang kanilang mga kilay at namula ang kanilang mga mata. Mabilis na inihanda ng mga kutsero ang mariringal na mga karwahe at ikinabit ang mahuhusay na kabayo; nakasakay roon, taglay ang sari-saring sandata at nakataas ang mga ito, hinabol ng mga bayani si Bhīṣma, ang ligaya ng angkang Kuru. Pagkaraan, O Janamejaya, sumiklab ang isang kakila-kilabot na labanan sa pagitan ng mga haring iyon at ni Bhīṣma—siya’y nag-iisa laban sa marami—isang sagupaan na nakapangingilabot at nakatatakot.

Word by Word

सhe/that (one)

वर्मभिःwith armours

भूषणैःwith ornaments

चand

प्रकीर्यhaving scattered

अद्धिःeaten/devoured

इतस्from here/this side

ततःthen/thereupon

सक्रोधामर्षजित्one who conquers anger and indignation

यwho

भ्रूकूषायीकृतलोचनाःwhose eyes were made (as if) by frowning/knitted brows

जनमेजयO Janamejaya

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya

Bhīṣma

Kuru dynasty (Kuru-nandana epithet for Bhīṣma)

kings/warriors (rājānaḥ, implied)

charioteers (sārathi, implied in prose context)

chariots (ratha, implied)

horses (aśva, implied)

armor (varman)

ornaments/jewels (bhūṣaṇa)

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?

The passage highlights how anger and wounded pride (krodha, amarṣa) can drive collective action into violent escalation, while also portraying the kṣatriya world where honor and martial response are treated as binding duties—setting up an ethical tension between self-control and the demands of warrior culture.

What is happening in the narrative?

Warriors, rushing in pursuit, scatter their armor and ornaments; their faces show fury and resentment. Charioteers prepare chariots and horses, and the armed heroes chase Bhīṣma. A terrifying battle then breaks out: Bhīṣma stands alone against many kings.