Shloka 51
Vāg-yuddha and Nimitta-darśana before the Gadāyuddha
Verbal Duel and Omens
अप्रियाणि ततो<न्योन्यमुक्त्वा तौ कुरुसत्तमौ । उदीक्षन्तौ स्थितौ तत्र वृत्रशक्रौ यथा55हवे,परस्पर कट वचनोंका प्रयोग करके वे दोनों कुरुकुलके श्रेष्ठतम वीर वहाँ युद्धस्थलमें वृत्रासुर और इन्द्रके समान एक-दूसरेको देखते हुए युद्धके लिये डटे रहे
apriyāṇi tato 'nyonyam uktvā tau kurusattamau | udīkṣantau sthitau tatra vṛtraśakrau yathā have ||
After hurling harsh and unwelcome words at one another, those two foremost heroes of the Kuru line stood their ground there, fixing their gaze upon each other—like Vṛtra and Indra poised for battle—steadfast and ready to fight.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of speech: harsh words (apriyāṇi) intensify enmity and can lock opponents into a path of violent escalation. It also reflects the kṣatriya ethos of steadfastness—once challenged and provoked, warriors stand firm and face the consequences of conflict.
Two leading Kuru heroes exchange cutting insults and then remain facing each other on the battlefield, watching one another closely and preparing to fight. Sanjaya frames their tense standoff through a mythic simile: they are like Vṛtra and Indra readying for combat.