Shloka 25
Nakula–Śakuni Duel and the Night Battle; Śikhaṇḍin–Kṛpa Engagement (नकुल-शकुनियुद्धं तथा रात्रियुद्धवर्णनम्)
Devanagari script
तौ पृथक् शस्त्रवर्षाभ्यामवर्षेतां परस्परम्
Transliteration
tau pṛthak śastravarṣābhyām avarṣetāṁ parasparam
Translation
Sañjaya said: The two warriors, keeping their positions distinct, rained down showers of weapons upon one another—each answering the other in the relentless code of battle.
Word by Word
तौthose two
तौ:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
पृथक्separately, apart
पृथक्:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपृथक्
शस्त्रवर्षाभ्याम्with two showers of weapons
शस्त्रवर्षाभ्याम्:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशस्त्रवर्ष
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Dual
अवर्षेताम्they rained down, showered
अवर्षेताम्:
TypeVerb
Rootवृष्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Dual, Parasmaipada
परस्परम्upon each other, mutually
परस्परम्:
Karma
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपरस्पर
Speaker
संजय उवाच
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
The verse highlights the kṣatriya battlefield ethic of reciprocal engagement: each combatant responds in kind, illustrating how warfare tends to intensify through mutual retaliation rather than restraint.
Sañjaya reports that two opposing fighters are exchanging dense volleys of weapons, metaphorically described as ‘raining’ missiles upon each other.