Shloka 18

Bhīṣma–Arjuna Strategic Engagement at Virāṭa’s Frontier (भीष्मार्जुनयुद्धम्)

Devanagari script

स रोषवशमापतन्न: कर्णमेव जिघांसया । तमैक्षत विवृत्ताभ्यां नेत्राभ्यां कुरुपुड्रव:,तब कुरुश्रेष्ठ अर्जुन रोषके वशीभूत हो कर्णको ही मार डालनेकी इच्छासे दोनों आँखें फाड़-फाड़कर उसकी ओर देखने लगे

Transliteration

sa roṣavaśam āpatan naḥ karṇam eva jighāṃsayā | tam aikṣata vivṛttābhyāṃ netrābhyāṃ kurupuṅgavaḥ ||

Translation

Nang madaig ng poot, ang pinakadakila sa mga Kuru ay sumugod, iisa ang hangarin—patayin si Karṇa. Tinitigan niya ito nang mariin, nakadilat ang mga mata sa nag-aalab na galit.

Word by Word

सःhe

रोषवशम्under the sway of anger

आपतत्rushed/fell upon

नःof us/our

कर्णम्Karna

एवindeed/only

जिघांसयाwith the desire to kill

तम्him

ऐक्षतlooked at

विवृत्ताभ्याम्with (his) widened/turned (two)

नेत्राभ्याम्with (his) two eyes

कुरुपुङ्गवःthe bull among the Kurus (best of the Kurus)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna

Karṇa

Kuru lineage (Kuru)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how wrath can seize even a great warrior, narrowing his focus to vengeance. Implicitly it points to the ethical need for self-mastery (dama) so that martial duty is guided by discernment rather than rage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna, overwhelmed by anger, rushes toward Karṇa with the intent to kill him and glares at him with eyes widened in fury, signaling an escalation toward direct combat.