Shloka 58
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas
तावन्योन्यं समा श्लिष्य प्रकर्षन्तौ परस्परम् | उभावपि प्रकाशेते प्रवृद्धो वृषभाविव,फिर दोनों आपसमें गुँथ गये और एक-दूसरेको खींचने लगे। उस समय वे दो हृष्ट-पुष्ट साँड़ोंकी भाँति सुशोभित होते थे
tāv anyonyaṁ samāśliṣya prakarṣantau parasparam | ubhāv api prakāśete pravṛddhau vṛṣabhāv iva ||
Vaiśampāyana said: The two closed with each other, locking in a tight embrace and dragging one another back and forth. In that open space they both shone forth—like two full-grown bulls in their prime—each displaying strength and resolve as the contest intensified.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣātra (warrior) ideal of steadfastness and visible courage under pressure: when rivals meet in direct contest, excellence is shown through controlled strength, endurance, and mutual recognition of the opponent’s power rather than through deceit.
Two combatants have come to close quarters, gripping each other and pulling back and forth in a forceful grapple. The narrator compares their appearance to two mature bulls, emphasizing their vigor and the intensity of the struggle.