Shloka 46

Devanagari script

तौ विक्षरन्तौ रुधिरं समासाद्येतरेतरम्‌

Transliteration

tau vikṣarantau rudhiraṃ samāsādya itaretaram

Translation

Sañjaya said: The two, streaming with blood, closed in upon one another and met face to face—each pressing the other in the fury of battle, as the war’s violence reduced them to wounded yet unyielding opponents.

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• विक्षरन्तौ: were shedding/sprinkling out
• विक्षरन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-क्षर्
• Form: Present, Third, Dual, Parasmaipada

• रुधिरम्: blood
• रुधिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुधिर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समासाद्य: having approached/attacked, having come together
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• इतरेतरम्: each other (mutually)
• इतरेतरम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इतरेतर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, reciprocal sense; used adverbially

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the grim reality of righteous war: even grievously wounded, warriors continue to confront one another, illustrating steadfastness in kṣatriya-duty while also highlighting the ethical cost—bloodshed and suffering—inseparable from such conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two combatants who are bleeding heavily yet still advance and meet each other directly, indicating an intense close-quarters clash at a critical moment in the battle.