Shloka 46

Devanagari script

तौ विक्षरन्तौ रुधिरं समासाद्येतरेतरम्‌

Transliteration

tau vikṣarantau rudhiraṃ samāsādya itaretaram

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Die beiden, von Blut überströmt, drängten aufeinander zu und trafen von Angesicht zu Angesicht—jeder bedrängte den anderen im Wüten der Schlacht; die Gewalt des Krieges hatte sie verwundet, doch sie blieben unbeugsame Gegner.

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• विक्षरन्तौ: were shedding/sprinkling out
• विक्षरन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-क्षर्
• Form: Present, Third, Dual, Parasmaipada

• रुधिरम्: blood
• रुधिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुधिर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समासाद्य: having approached/attacked, having come together
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• इतरेतरम्: each other (mutually)
• इतरेतरम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इतरेतर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, reciprocal sense; used adverbially

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the grim reality of righteous war: even grievously wounded, warriors continue to confront one another, illustrating steadfastness in kṣatriya-duty while also highlighting the ethical cost—bloodshed and suffering—inseparable from such conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two combatants who are bleeding heavily yet still advance and meet each other directly, indicating an intense close-quarters clash at a critical moment in the battle.