Shloka 47

द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय १६२: प्रातःसंध्यायां युद्धप्रवृत्तिः तथा रजोमेघे संमूढता

Devanagari script

नृत्यमानाविव रणे मण्डलीकृतकार्मुकौ । परस्परवधे यत्तौ सर्वभूतभयड्करौ,उस रणक्षेत्रमें धनुषको मण्डलाकार करके वे दोनों नृत्य-सा कर रहे थे। एक-दूसरेके वधके लिये प्रयत्नशील होकर समस्त प्राणियोंके लिये भयंकर बन गये थे

Transliteration

nṛtyamānāv iva raṇe maṇḍalīkṛta-kārmukau | paraspara-vadhe yattau sarva-bhūta-bhayaṅkarau ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: On the battlefield, the two of them, their bows whirled in circular arcs, seemed as though they were dancing. Straining for each other’s death, they became a terror to all living beings.

Word by Word

नृत्यमानौdancing (as if), moving like dancers

इवas if, like

रणेin battle

मण्डलीकृतmade circular, formed into a circle

कार्मुकौbows

परस्परmutually, each other

वधेin killing, in slaying

यत्तौstriving, intent, exerting themselves

सर्वof all

भूतbeings, creatures

भयङ्करौterrifying

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

battlefield (raṇa)

bows (kārmuka)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral tension of war: extraordinary martial artistry can appear beautiful—like dance—yet when its purpose is mutual killing, it becomes a source of universal fear. It implicitly warns that skill divorced from restraint and dharma magnifies harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two warriors locked in a fierce duel. They whirl their bows in circular motions, moving with dance-like agility, each intent on slaying the other, and their combat makes the battlefield terrifying for all who witness it.