Shloka 203

Nakula–Śakuni Duel and the Night Battle; Śikhaṇḍin–Kṛpa Engagement (नकुल-शकुनियुद्धं तथा रात्रियुद्धवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

द्विरदाविव संक़ुद्धौ वासितार्थे मदोत्कटौ । वे दोनों महाधनुर्धर और पराक्रमी वीर उस रणक्षेत्रमें एक-दूसरेसे स्पर्धा रखते हुए हथिनीके लिये अत्यन्त कुपित होकर परस्पर युद्ध करनेवाले दो मदोन्मत्त हाथियोंकी तरह एक-दूसरेसे भिड़ गये

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | dviradāv iva saṅkuddhau vāsitārthe madotkaṭau |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Like two enraged elephants, maddened and violently impelled by the same coveted aim, the two mighty bowmen—each striving to outdo the other—closed upon one another on the battlefield, colliding in fierce combat. The image underscores how rivalry and intoxication with power can drive warriors into a blinding, animal-like fury amid war.

Word by Word

• द्विरदौ: two elephants
• द्विरदौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विरद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• संकुद्धौ: highly enraged
• संकुद्धौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संकुद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• वासितार्थे: in the matter of the desired female (for mating); for the sake of a she-elephant
• वासितार्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वासितार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Dual

• मदोत्कटौ: fierce with rut/intoxication
• मदोत्कटौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदोत्कट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• two warriors (unnamed in this verse)
• battlefield
• elephants

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses the elephant-simile to warn that unchecked rivalry, pride, and battle-frenzy can eclipse discernment, reducing human combat to instinctive violence—an ethical reminder to restrain anger and ambition even amid kṣatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two powerful warriors on the battlefield who, competing with each other and inflamed with wrath, rush together and engage directly—like two rut-maddened elephants clashing.