Shloka 22
Devanagari script
तावुभौ पुरुषव्याप्रौ तावुभौ धन्विनां वरौ
Transliteration
tāv ubhau puruṣavyāghrau tāv ubhau dhanvināṃ varau
Translation
Sañjaya said: Those two were both tiger-like among men—both foremost among archers—standing out in prowess and martial excellence.
Word by Word
तौthose two
तौ:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
उभौboth
उभौ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootउभ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
पुरुषव्याघ्रौtigers among men (great heroes)
पुरुषव्याघ्रौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुषव्याघ्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
तौthose two
तौ:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
उभौboth
उभौ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootउभ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
धन्विनाम्of bowmen/archers
धन्विनाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootधन्विन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
वरौthe best/excellent (two)
वरौ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
Speaker
संजय उवाच
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
The verse highlights the Mahābhārata’s ethical lens on warfare: even amid destruction, true excellence is measured by disciplined valor and recognized merit—praising prowess without necessarily endorsing the war itself.
Sañjaya describes two principal warriors as exceptional—‘tigers among men’ and the best of archers—setting the tone for their impending or ongoing confrontation and emphasizing their stature on the battlefield.