Shloka 9

Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57

Devanagari script

समानवीर्यो सम्प्रेक्ष्य प्रगृहीतगदावु भौ । विस्मयं परमं जम्मुर्देवगन्धर्वमानवा:,उन समान बलशाली महापराक्रमी नरश्रेष्ठ वीरोंने विश्राम करके पुनः हाथमें गदा ले ली और मैथुनकी इच्छावाली हथिनीके लिये लड़नेवाले दो बलवान एवं मदोन्मत्त गजराजोंके समान पुनः युद्ध आरम्भ कर दिया है, यह देखकर देवता, गन्धर्व और मनुष्य सभी अत्यन्त आश्चर्यसे चकित हो उठे

Transliteration

sa-māna-vīryau samprekṣya pragṛhīta-gadāv ubhau | vismayaṃ paramaṃ jagmur deva-gandharva-mānavāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Seeing the two of equal prowess, both having again taken up their maces, the gods, Gandharvas, and men were struck with the highest astonishment. After a brief pause, those foremost heroes resumed the duel with renewed resolve—like two powerful, intoxicated lordly elephants battling for a receptive she-elephant.

Word by Word

समानवीर्यौthe two of equal prowess

सम्प्रेक्ष्यhaving seen/observed

प्रगृहीतगदौthe two who had taken up maces

उभौboth

विस्मयम्astonishment

परमम्supreme/very great

जग्मुःwent/attained (became)

देवगन्धर्वमानवाःgods, gandharvas, and men

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

gadā (mace)

devas

gandharvas

mānavas (humans)

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 the compelling force of kṣatriya valor: even after a pause, warriors of equal strength resume combat with unwavering resolve, and such steadfastness—though violent—evokes awe as a manifestation of heroic duty and indomitable spirit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that two evenly matched mace-fighters, after a brief respite, again grasp their maces and restart the battle; witnessing this, gods, Gandharvas, and humans are filled with intense astonishment.