Shloka 30

Śalya’s Objection to Sārathya and Duryodhana’s Conciliation (शल्यमन्यु-प्रशमनम् / Sārathyāṅgīkāra)

Devanagari script

विदर्शयन्तौ दिव्यानि शस्त्राणि रणमूर्थनि । छादयन्तौ च सहसा परस्परवधैषिणौ,युद्धके मुहानेपर वे दोनों दिव्य अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंका प्रदर्शन करते हुए एक-दूसरेको मार डालनेकी इच्छासे सहसा बाणोंद्वारा आच्छादित करने लगे

Transliteration

vidarśayantau divyāni śastrāṇi raṇamūrdhani | chādayantau ca sahasā parasparavadheṣiṇau ||

Translation

રણભૂમિના અગ્રસ્થાને તેઓ બંને દિવ્ય અસ્ત્ર-શસ્ત્રોનું પ્રદર્શન કરતા, પરસ્પરનો વધ કરવાની ઇચ્છાથી, અચાનક બાણવર્ષાથી એકબીજાને ઢાંકી દેવા લાગ્યા.

Word by Word

विदर्शयन्तौshowing, displaying

दिव्यानिdivine

शस्त्राणिweapons

रणमूर्धनिon the battlefield (lit. on the battle-head/top)

छादयन्तौcovering, veiling

चand

सहसाsuddenly, swiftly

परस्परवधैषिणौdesiring each other's killing

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

divine weapons (divyāni śastrāṇi)

battlefield (raṇa)

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 how intention (vadheṣiṇau—intent on killing) shapes the moral texture of action: even extraordinary, ‘divine’ power in warfare becomes ethically grim when directed toward mutual annihilation rather than restraint or protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two opposing champions at the front of the battle exhibiting their celestial weapons and then abruptly unleashing dense arrow-showers, each trying to overpower and kill the other.