Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 30
Vāg-yuddha and Nimitta-darśana before the Gadāyuddha
Verbal Duel and Omens
सदृशौ तौ महाराज मधुकैटभयोर्युधि । उभौ सदृशकर्माणौ तथा सुन्दोपसुन्दयो:
sadbau tau mah1r1ja madhukai abhyor yudhi | ubhau sadbakarm1bau tath1 sundopasundayo25 ||
Sañjaya sprach: O König, jene beiden glichen einander im Kampf wie Madhu und Kaitabha; und in ihren Taten waren sie einander gleich wie Sunda und Upasunda. In der Raserei des Krieges erschienen sie als unvergleichliche, feindversengende Streiter und riefen durch das Maß ihrer Kraft den Schrecken hervor, als stünden Zeit und Tod selbst vor Augen.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how war magnifies human power into something seemingly superhuman, using mythic pairs as measures. Ethically, it underscores the terrifying impersonality of battle: prowess can resemble K1la (Time) and Mtyu (Death), reminding the listener that unchecked martial force inspires dread as much as admiration.
Sanjaya reports to the king that two opposing warriors (contextually, a matched pair in the battle) were evenly matched and performed comparable feats. He conveys their equality and ferocity through well-known mythological analogies: Madhu-Kai abha and Sunda-Upasunda.