Mahabharata 4.13.29 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 29
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 13 — Kīcaka’s Proposition and Draupadī’s Dharmic Refusal
शलाकानखपातैश्न पादोदधूतैश्न दारुणै: । जानुभिश्नचाश्मनिर्घोषै: शिरोभि श्चावघट्टनै:
śalākā-nakha-pātaiś ca pādod-dhūtaiś ca dāruṇaiḥ | jānubhiś ca aśma-nirghoṣaiḥ śirobhiś cāvaghaṭṭanaiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: In ihrer Wut ritzten sie einander mit scharfen Nägeln wie mit Stacheln; sie verhakten und fällten sich mit harten, fegenden Tritten; und sie stießen mit Knien und Köpfen zusammen, sodass ein schreckliches Krachen erklang wie beim Zusammenprall von Steinen—ein Kampf, der mehr vom Zorn als von Selbstbeherrschung getrieben war.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger (roṣa) degrades conduct into brutal, uncontrolled violence; it implicitly contrasts such rage-driven fighting with the ideal of disciplined strength and self-restraint expected in dharmic behavior.
A fierce hand-to-hand struggle is being described: the fighters claw with nails, trip and throw with their feet, and collide with knees and heads, creating a terrifying sound like stones striking together.
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