Shloka 24

Bhīṣma’s Stuti of Keśava and Counsel on Nara–Nārāyaṇa (भीष्म-स्तवः; नरनारायण-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

तेषां महास्त्राणि महारथाना- मसहाकर्मा विनिहत्य कार्ष्णि: | बभौ महामन्त्रहुतार्चिमाली सदोगत: सन्‌ भगवानिवाग्नि:,अर्जुनकुमारका पराक्रम दूसरोंके लिये असहा था। वह उन कौरव महारथियोंके बड़े- बड़े अस्त्रोंको नष्ट करके यज्ञ-मण्डपमें महान्‌ मन्त्रोंद्वारा हविष्पकी आहुति पाकर प्रज्वलित हुई ज्वालामालाओंसे अलंकृत भगवान्‌ अग्निदेवके समान शोभा पाने लगा स हताश्वे रथे तिष्ठन्‌ ददर्श भरतर्षभ | पुत्र: सांयमने: पुत्रं पाउ्चाल्यस्य महात्मन: भरतश्रेष्ठ) जिसके घोड़े मार दिये गये थे, उसी रथपर खड़े हुए शलके पुत्रने महामना धृष्टद्युम्नके पुत्रको देखा

Transliteration

teṣāṁ mahāstrāṇi mahārathānām asahakarmā vinihatya kārṣṇiḥ | babhau mahāmantrahutārcimālī sadogataḥ san bhagavān ivāgniḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：迦尔什尼——其勇力令他人难以承受——击碎了那些大车战士的诸般大神器。既已如此，他光辉灿然，宛如圣火神阿耆尼：在祭仪中以大咒灌注供物而燃起的火焰，环绕成鬘，照耀四方。

Word by Word

तेषाम्of them

महास्त्राणिgreat weapons/missiles

महारथानाम्of the great chariot-warriors

असहunbearable

कर्माin deeds; doer (one whose actions are ...)

विनिहत्यhaving destroyed/slain

कार्ष्णिःKārṣṇi (a Vrishni hero; here the subject)

बभौshone; appeared splendid

महामन्त्रwith great mantras

हुतoffered (as oblation)

अर्चिflame; radiance

मालीgarlanded; having a garland (of flames)

महामन्त्रहुतार्चिमालीone whose flame-garland is fed by oblations with great mantras

सदोगतःhaving gone to the sacrificial hall

सन्being

भगवान्the blessed lord

इवlike; as

अग्निःAgni; fire

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Kārṣṇi (Sātyaki)

mahārathas (Kaurava great chariot-warriors)

mahāstras (celestial weapons)

Agni (Fire-god)

yajña (sacrificial rite implied by mantra and oblation imagery)

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 frames martial power within a moral-ritual metaphor: when force is disciplined and directed toward a righteous end, it is likened to sacrificial fire—bright, controlled, and purpose-driven—rather than chaotic destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Kārṣṇi (Sātyaki) overpowering Kaurava elite warriors by neutralizing their formidable astras; his brilliance and momentum on the battlefield are compared to Agni blazing after receiving oblations with great mantras.