Shloka 2

Devanagari script

शिखण्डिनं तु गाड्भेय: क्रोधदीप्तेन चक्षुषा । सम्प्रैक्षत कटाक्षेण निर्दहन्निव भारत

Transliteration

śikhaṇḍinaṃ tu gāḍbheyaḥ krodha-dīptena cakṣuṣā | sampraikṣata kaṭākṣeṇa nirdahann iva bhārata ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Nhưng Bhīṣma, con của sông Gaṅgā, nhìn về phía Śikhaṇḍin với đôi mắt bừng cháy giận dữ; chỉ một cái liếc xéo thôi, hỡi Bhārata, cũng như thể ngài sẽ thiêu y thành tro bụi.

Word by Word

• शिखण्डिनम्: Shikhandin (as object)
• शिखण्डिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• गाङ्गेयः: the son of Ganga (Bhishma)
• गाङ्गेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाङ्गेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रोधदीप्तेन: with (a) anger-kindled
• क्रोधदीप्तेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोधदीप्त
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• चक्षुषा: with the eye/gaze
• चक्षुषा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्षुस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• सम्प्रैक्षत: looked at, beheld
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-ईक्ष्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कटाक्षेण: with a sidelong glance
• कटाक्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटाक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• निर्दहन्: burning (as if)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-दह्
• Form: Shatr (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma (Gaṅgā-nandana / Gāṅgeya)
• Śikhaṇḍin
• Bhārata (address)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension between inner passions (krodha) and the demands of dharma in war: even a great elder like Bhīṣma can be stirred by personal history, yet the broader narrative tests how one restrains or channels such emotions under righteous duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīṣma fixing an angry, scorching sidelong gaze on Śikhaṇḍin on the battlefield, conveying intense hostility and the charged background that makes Śikhaṇḍin pivotal in the confrontation with Bhīṣma.