Shloka 92

Devanagari script

रणे वृष्णिप्रवीराणां द्वावेवातिरथौ स्मृती

Transliteration

raṇe vṛṣṇipravīrāṇāṃ dvāv evātirathau smṛtī

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “In the battle, among the foremost heroes of the Vṛṣṇi clan, only two are remembered as true atirathas (supreme chariot-warriors).”

Word by Word

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वृष्णि-प्रवीराणाम: of the foremost heroes of the Vṛṣṇis
• वृष्णि-प्रवीराणाम: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्णि-प्रवीर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अतिरथौ: two great chariot-warriors (atirathas)
• अतिरथौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिरथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• स्मृतौ: are remembered/are considered
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

युधिष्ठिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Vṛṣṇi clan
• battle (raṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the Mahābhārata’s ethical emphasis on measured praise: true excellence in war is rare and must be acknowledged with restraint. It also reflects the epic’s concern with standards of merit (such as ‘atiratha’) rather than indiscriminate glorification.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira is speaking in the Drona Parva context, discussing battlefield prowess and ranking warriors. He states that among the Vṛṣṇi champions, only two are traditionally regarded as atirathas, setting up identification or evaluation of leading fighters.