Shloka 26
अर्जुनस्य दिग्विजयारम्भः — Arjuna Initiates the Northern Campaign and Secures Bhagadattta’s Tribute
प्रकर्षणाकर्षणा भ्यामनुकर्षविकर्षणै: । आचर्कर्षतुरन्योन्यं जानुभिश्वावजघ्नतु:
prakarṣaṇākarṣaṇābhyām anukarṣavikarṣaṇaiḥ | ācarakarṣatur anyonyaṃ jānubhiś cāvajaghnatuḥ ||
وبدفعٍ عنيفٍ وجذبٍ شديد—يجرّ أحدُهما الآخر ويَلْوِيه مرارًا وتكرارًا—تَشابكا في قتالٍ لصيق. وأحدث كلٌّ منهما في جسد صاحبه سَحْجاتٍ وجراحًا بضرباتٍ متتابعة؛ ثم بعد أن طرح أحدُهما الآخر أرضًا، أخذا يضربان ويَسحقان بالركبتين، مدفوعين بحرارة المنافسة أكثر من سلطان الكفّ والضبط.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how unchecked passion and rivalry can reduce even the strong to brutal, undisciplined struggle; it implicitly contrasts raw force with the ethical ideal of restraint and rule-bound conduct.
Two opponents are locked in a fierce grapple—pushing, pulling, wrenching, and dragging each other; they cause scratches and wounds, throw each other down, and strike with their knees in a relentless contest.