Shloka 41

Nakula’s Engagement with Citra-sena and Karṇa’s Sons; Śalya Re-stabilizes the Kaurava Host

Devanagari script

माद्रीपुत्रौ तु रभसौ कृतास्त्रौ युद्धदुर्मदौ । अभ्ययातां त्वरायुक्तौ जिगीषन्तौ परंतप,शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले नरेश! अस्त्रोंके ज्ञाता, रणदुर्मदर और वेगशाली वीर माद्रीकुमार नकुल-सहदेव विजयकी अभिलाषा लेकर बड़ी उतावलीके साथ राजा शल्यपर चढ़ आये

Transliteration

mādrīputrau tu rabhasau kṛtāstrau yuddha-durmadau | abhyayātāṁ tvarāyuktau jigīṣantau paraṁtapa ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Die beiden Söhne Mādrīs — ungestüm, in den Waffen vollkommen geschult und vom Kampfesrausch berauscht — stürmten in großer Eile voran, nach Sieg verlangend, o Bezwinger der Feinde, und griffen König Śalya an.

Word by Word

माद्रीपुत्रौthe two sons of Madri (Nakula and Sahadeva)

तुbut/indeed

रभसौimpetuous, vehement

कृतास्त्रौtrained in weapons; accomplished in arms

युद्धदुर्मदौfierce/proud in battle; battle-maddened

अभ्ययाताम्they advanced/attacked

त्वरायुक्तौendowed with haste; in great hurry

जिगीषन्तौwishing to conquer

परंतपO scorcher of foes (epithet)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Mādrī

Nakula

Sahadeva

King Śalya

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 underscores how martial skill and the desire for victory can intensify into battle-fervor, yet the Mahābhārata frames such energy within the larger moral burden of dharma—especially when relatives and allies are forced into opposing sides.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Nakula and Sahadeva, the twin sons of Mādrī, swiftly advance and charge King Śalya, driven by eagerness to win and confident in their weapon-training.