Shloka 29
वालिवधः
The Slaying of Vali
वृक्षैः स्सशाखै स्सशिखैर्वज्रकोटिनिभैर्नखैः4.16.28।।मुष्टिभिर्जानुभिः पद्भिर्बाहुभिश्च पुनः पुनः।तयोर्युद्धमभूद्घोरं वृत्रवासवयोरिव4.16.29।।
vṛkṣaiḥ saśākhaiḥ saśikhair vajrakoṭinibhair nakhaiḥ || 4.16.28 ||
muṣṭibhir jānubhiḥ padbhir bāhubhiś ca punaḥ punaḥ |
tayor yuddham abhūd ghoraṃ vṛtravāsavayor iva || 4.16.29 ||
Berulang-ulang mereka saling menghantam—dengan pohon beserta dahan dan pucuknya, dengan kuku yang keras bagaikan ujung vajra, serta dengan tinju, lutut, kaki, dan lengan. Pertempuran mereka menjadi mengerikan, laksana perang Vṛtra melawan Vāsava (Indra).
Both like Vritra and Indra fought, hitting each other again and again with trees full of branches and tops, with their hard nails akin to thunderbolts and with their fists, knees, feet, etc.
FAQs
The verse frames the duel within the epic’s moral universe: violence is shown as grave and consequential, and therefore must be governed by rightful purpose and restraint—otherwise it becomes ‘ghora’ (terrifying) and destructive.
The fight escalates into close-quarters brutality; both use natural weapons (trees) and bodily strikes repeatedly.
Indomitable fighting spirit; also the epic’s emphasis that such power must be directed by dharma.