Shloka 29

Devanagari script

विशेषयन्तावन्योन्यं मायाभिरतिमायिनौ । युयुधाते महावीर्याविन्द्रवरोचनाविव

Transliteration

viśeṣayantāv anyonyaṁ māyābhir atimāyinau | yuyudhāte mahāvīryāv indravarocanāv iva ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: The two exceedingly crafty warriors, each trying to outdo the other with feats of illusion and stratagem, fought on—both of great might—shining like Indra in splendor. The verse shows how, in the fury of war, brilliance and power can be joined to deception, turning the battlefield into a contest of cunning as much as courage.

Word by Word

• विशेषयन्तौ: making (each other) distinct / outdoing
• विशेषयन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विशेषय् (विशेष)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथम, द्विवचन, कर्तरि, पुं

• अन्योन्यम्: each other / one another
• अन्योन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्योन्य
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मायाभिः: by illusions / by magical arts
• मायाभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया
• Form: स्त्री, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अतिमायिनौ: two exceedingly magical (ones)
• अतिमायिनौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिमायिन्
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• युयुधाते: they two fought
• युयुधाते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: लिट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथम, द्विवचन, कर्तरि

• महावीर्यौ: two of great prowess
• महावीर्यौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावीर्य
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• इन्द्रवरोचनौ: two having Indra-like splendor
• इन्द्रवरोचनौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्रवरोचन
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• इव: like / as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Indra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that warfare often becomes a contest not only of strength and valor but also of cunning and deceptive tactics (māyā). It invites ethical reflection: brilliance and heroism can be morally ambiguous when joined to illusion and stratagem.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two powerful combatants locked in battle, each attempting to surpass the other through clever devices and illusory maneuvers, their prowess and radiance compared to Indra’s splendor.