Shloka 33

Devanagari script

ततोड<ब्रवीन्महाराज: प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना | “राजन! आपके कुमार अस्त्र-विद्याकी शिक्षा प्राप्त कर चुके हैं। कुरुश्रेष्ठ॒ यदि आपकी अनुमति हो तो वे अपनी सीखी हुई अस्त्र-संचालनकी कलाका प्रदर्शन करें'। यह सुनकर महाराज धृतराष्ट्र अत्यन्त प्रसन्नचित्तसे बोले,बद्धकक्षौ महाबाहू पौरुषे पर्यवस्थितौ । बृंहन्तौ वासिताहेतो: समदाविव कुञठ्जरौ वे दोनों महाबाहु कमर कसकर पुरुषार्थ दिखानेके लिये आमने-सामने डटकर खड़े थे और गर्जना कर रहे थे, मानो दो मतवाले गजराज किसी हथिनीके लिये एक-दूसरेसे भिड़ना चाहते और चिग्घाड़ते हों

Transliteration

tato 'bravīn mahārājaḥ prahṛṣṭenāntarātmanā | baddhakakṣau mahābāhū pauruṣe paryavasthitau | bṛṃhantau vāsitāhetoḥ samadāv iva kuñjarau ||

Translation

Then the king, inwardly delighted, spoke. The two mighty-armed princes, having tightened their waistbands, stood facing one another, firmly resolved to display their prowess. They roared aloud, like two rut-maddened elephants bellowing as they clash for the sake of a cow-elephant.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

उवाचsaid, spoke

महाराजःthe great king

प्रहृष्टेनwith delighted (mind)

अन्तरात्मनाwith inner self/heart

बद्धकक्षौhaving girded up (their loins/arm-pits), ready

महाबाहूthe two mighty-armed (heroes)

पौरुषेin manly effort/valor

पर्यवस्थितौstood facing/ready, were stationed

बृंहन्तौroaring, bellowing

वासिताहेतोःfor the sake/cause of a female elephant (mate)

समदौequally intoxicated (in rut)

इवlike, as if

कुञ्जरौtwo elephants

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

mahārāja (king)

two princes (the rival youths in training)

elephants (kuñjara)

female elephant (vāsitā)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of disciplined readiness: training culminates in controlled public demonstration of skill, yet it also warns—through the rut-elephant simile—how prowess can slide into competitive intoxication if not governed by restraint and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the royal setting, the two young princes stand opposite each other, fully prepared to exhibit their martial abilities. Their loud roars and tense posture are compared to two musth elephants about to clash over a female, emphasizing intensity and rivalry.