Shloka 24

Devanagari script

उभौ वरायुधधरावुभौ रणकृतश्रमौ । उभौ च बाहुशब्देन नादयन्तौ नभस्तलम्‌,दोनोंने श्रेष्ठ आयुध धारण कर रखे थे, दोनोंने ही युद्धकी कला सीखनेमें परिश्रम किया था और दोनों अपनी भुजाओंके शब्दसे आकाशको प्रतिध्वनित कर रहे थे

Transliteration

ubhau varāyudhadharāv ubhau raṇakṛtaśramau | ubhau ca bāhuśabdena nādayantau nabhastalam ||

Translation

Sañjaya dijo: Ambos portaban armas excelentes; ambos estaban curtidos por las fatigas de la guerra. Y con el estruendo de sus brazos, ambos hicieron resonar la bóveda del cielo.

Word by Word

उभौboth

वरायुधधरौboth bearing excellent weapons

उभौboth

रणकृतश्रमौboth wearied by exertion in battle / having exerted themselves in battle

उभौboth

चand

बाहुशब्देनwith the sound of (their) arms

नादयन्तौmaking resound / causing to roar

नभस्तलम्the surface of the sky / the sky-region

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

स

संजय (Sañjaya)

श

श्रेष्ठ आयुध (excellent weapons)

न

नभस्तल (the sky/vault of heaven)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights parity in martial excellence: both warriors are equally armed and equally hardened by combat. Ethically, it underscores a Mahābhārata theme—external prowess and disciplined effort do not by themselves resolve the question of dharma; war can magnify skill and pride even when moral clarity remains contested.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates a vivid battlefield moment: two opposing fighters, both carrying superior weapons and fatigued from sustained fighting, create a roaring din with their arm-movements, making the sky itself seem to echo—an image of escalating intensity before or during a close engagement.