Shloka 20
प्रगृह्ा विमलौ राजंस्तावन्योन्यमभिद्रुतौ । वासितासंगमे यत्तौ सिंहाविव महावने,राजन! जैसे महान् वनमें एक सिंहनीके लिये दो सिंह लड़ते हों, उसी प्रकार चमकीले खड्ग लेकर धृष्टकेतु और पौरव दोनों विजयके लिये प्रयत्नशील हो एक-दूसरेपर टूट पड़े
sañjaya uvāca | pragṛhya vimalau rājan tāv anyonyam abhidrūtau | vāsitāsaṅgame yattau siṃhāv iva mahāvane ||
Sañjaya dijo: «Oh Rey, empuñando sus espadas relucientes, aquellos dos se lanzaron el uno contra el otro. Anhelando la victoria en aquel choque, se abalanzaron como dos leones en un gran bosque que disputan por la misma leona.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses a lion-simile to show how the drive for supremacy (and the coveted 'prize') can turn warriors into relentless rivals, highlighting the ethical tension in war: valor and duty on one side, and the destructive pull of competitive desire on the other.
Sañjaya reports to the king that Dhṛṣṭaketu and Paurava, with shining swords in hand, charge at each other and engage fiercely, likened to two lions battling in a great forest.