Shloka 24
द्रोणनिन्दाश्रवणं तथा सात्यकि–पार्षतविवादः
Hearing the reproach of Droṇa and the Sātyaki–Pārṣata dispute
तयो: समभवद् युद्ध समरे दृढ्धन्विनो: । यादृशं हाभवद् राजन् जम्भवासवयो: पुरा,राजन! फिर तो समरांगणमें उन दोनों सुदृढ़ धनुर्धर योद्धाओंमें वैसा ही घोर युद्ध होने लगा, जैसा कि पूर्वकालमें इन्द्र और जम्भासुरमें हुआ था
tayor samabhavad yuddhaṃ samare dṛḍhadhanvinoḥ | yādṛśaṃ hābhavad rājan jambhavāsavayoḥ purā ||
Sañjaya said: O King, then a fierce battle arose on the battlefield between those two steadfast archers—like the terrible combat that once took place in ancient times between Indra (Vāsava) and the demon Jambha. The comparison underscores how the warriors’ clash had grown into a mythic, world-shaking contest of power and resolve.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses a mythic comparison (Indra vs. Jambha) to convey the magnitude and intensity of human conflict in the Kurukṣetra war, reminding the listener that unchecked martial rivalry can escalate into a destructive, near-cosmic struggle—calling for discernment (dharma) even amid valor.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a severe duel has erupted between two powerful archers on the battlefield, and he characterizes its ferocity by likening it to the ancient battle between Indra and the asura Jambha.