Shloka 30

Devanagari script

वे गर्जने, ताल ठोंकने और बाणोंके शब्दसे चारों ओरके योद्धाओंको हर्ष प्रदान करते हुए सिंहनाद कर रहे थे ।। समुद्यतकरा भ्यां तौ द्विपाभ्यां कृतिनावुभौ । वातोद्धूतपताकाभ्यां युयुधाते महाबलौ,वे दोनों महाबली और विद्वान योद्धा उन सूँड़ उठाये हुए दोनों हाथियोंद्वारा युद्ध कर रहे थे। उस समय उन हाथियोंके ऊपर लगी हुई पताकाएँ हवाके वेगसे फहरा रही थीं व्यरोचेतां महारज्ले निस्त्रिंशवरधारिणौ । यथा देवासुरे युद्धे जम्भशक्रौ महाबलौ जैसे देवासुर-संग्राममें महाबली इन्द्र और जम्भसुर शोभा पाते थे, उसी प्रकार युद्धके उस महान रंगस्थलमें उत्तम खड़्ग धारण किये हुए वे दोनों योद्धा सुशोभित हो रहे थे

Transliteration

saṃjaya uvāca |

vyarocetāṃ mahāraṅge nistriṃśavaradhāriṇau |

yathā devāsure yuddhe jambhaśakrau mahābalau ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: In that vast arena of battle, the two warriors, bearing excellent swords, shone brilliantly—just as, in the war between gods and demons, the mighty Śakra (Indra) and Jambha appeared resplendent.

Word by Word

समुद्यतकराभ्याम्by/with (their) raised hands

तौthose two

द्विपाभ्याम्by/with two elephants

कृतिनौskilled, accomplished

उभौboth

वात-उद्धूत-पताकाभ्याम्with banners blown by the wind

युयुधातेthey two fought

महाबलौvery strong

व्यरोचेताम्they two shone

महारज्लेin the great battlefield/arena

निस्त्रिंश-वर-धारिणौbearing excellent swords

यथाas, just as

देव-असुरेin (the war) of gods and asuras

युद्धेin war

जम्भ-शक्रौJambha and Śakra (Indra)

महाबलौvery strong

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Mahāraṅga (battlefield as arena)

Nistriṃśa (sword)

Śakra (Indra)

Jambha

Devas

Asuras

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 how war can appear glorious and radiant through heroic display, yet the epic context invites reflection: splendor in battle does not erase its moral weight. It points to the kṣatriya ideal of courage and excellence while implicitly reminding the listener that such brilliance unfolds within a tragic, dharma-testing conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two combatants on the battlefield who, wielding fine swords, look striking and formidable. He intensifies the scene by comparing them to Indra (Śakra) and the asura Jambha in the primordial deva–asura war, emphasizing the scale and intensity of the duel.