Shloka 12

देवसत्रे मृत्युनिरोधः, पूर्वेन्द्राणां मानुषावतरणम्, द्रौपदी-वरकथनम्

Suspension of Death at the Devasatra; Former Indras’ Human Descent; Draupadī’s Boon Etiology

Devanagari script

तावुभावप्यनिर्देश्यौ लाघवाज्जयतां वरौ । अयुध्येतां सुसंरब्धावन्योन्यविजिगीषिणौ,विजयी वीरोंमें श्रेष्ठ वे दोनों योद्धा हाथोंकी फुर्ती दिखानेमें बेजोड़ थे, उनमें कौन बड़ा है और कौन छोटा--यह बताना असम्भव था। दोनों ही एक-दूसरेको जीतनेकी इच्छा रखकर बड़े क्रोधसे लड़ रहे थे

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

tāv ubhāv apy anirdeśyau lāghavāj jayatāṃ varau |

ayudhyetāṃ susaṃrabdhāv anyonya-vijigīṣiṇau ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Those two foremost among victorious heroes were, by reason of their swift dexterity, impossible to distinguish as greater or lesser. Inflamed with fierce wrath and each intent on conquering the other, they fought on.

Word by Word

तौthose two

उभौboth

अपिalso/indeed

अनिर्देश्यौindescribable; not to be distinguished

लाघवात्because of agility/lightness

जयताम्of the two victorious (ones)

वरौthe two excellent (heroes)

अयुध्येताम्they two fought

सुसंरब्धौboth highly enraged/impassioned

अन्योन्यeach other/mutual

विजिगीषिणौboth desiring to conquer

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

two unnamed warriors (tāv ubhau)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how sheer martial agility and the thirst for victory can make opponents appear evenly matched, while anger (saṃrambha) drives conflict forward—an implicit caution that prowess without restraint tends to intensify rivalry rather than resolve it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes two eminent warriors engaged in combat. Their speed and dexterity are so equal that no one can say who is superior; both, burning with rage, fight with the single aim of defeating the other.