Shloka 48
प्रहस्तवधः
The Slaying of Prahasta
उल्लिखन्तौसुतीक्ष्णाभिर्दंष्ट्राभिरितरेतरम् ।सिंहशार्दूलसदृशौसिंहशार्दूलचेष्टितौ ।।।।विक्रान्तविजयौवीरौसमरेष्न्विवर्तिनौ ।काङ्क्षमाणौयशःप्राप्तुंवृत्रवासवयोस्सह ।।।।
ullikhantau sutīkṣṇābhir daṃṣṭrābhir itaretaram |
siṃhaśārdūlasadṛśau siṃhaśārdūlaceṣṭitau || 6.58.48 ||
vikrāntavijayau vīrau samareṣv anivartinau |
kāṅkṣamāṇau yaśaḥ prāptuṃ vṛtravāsavayoḥ saha || 6.58.49 ||
Sich gegenseitig mit messerscharfen Fängen zerfleischend, bewegten sie sich wie ein Löwe und ein Tiger. Beide waren Helden bewährter Siege, die im Kampf niemals zurückwichen und nach Ruhm strebten wie Vṛtra und Vāsava.
Tearing up each other with exceedingly sharp teeth they were behaving like a lion and tiger. They had won many wars and never turned back in war. They were heroes like Vrta and Indra desiring to conquer and attain fame.
FAQs
The verse highlights the human drive for fame (yaśas) in war; the dharmic lesson is that valor becomes truly worthy only when fame is sought as a byproduct of righteous duty, not as the primary aim.
The duel reaches savage intensity; the combatants are compared to predatory beasts and to the mythic clash of Vṛtra and Indra.
Unyielding bravery (anivartitva) and battle-prowess in both Nīla and Prahastha.