Shloka 33

Devanagari script

ततस्तौ पुरुषव्याप्रावुभी माधवपाण्डवौ | द्रोणकर्णो समासाद्य धिष्ठितौ रणमूर्धनि,तदनन्तर वे दोनों पुरुषसिंह श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुन युद्धके मुहानेपर द्रोणाचार्य और कर्णके सामने जाकर खड़े हो गये

Transliteration

tatas tau puruṣavyāprāv ubhau mādhava-pāṇḍavau | droṇa-karṇau samāsādya dhiṣṭhitau raṇamūrdhani ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then those two foremost of men—Mādhava (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) and the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna)—advanced to meet Droṇa and Karṇa and took their stand at the very forefront of the battlefield. The scene underscores resolute leadership and the deliberate choice to confront formidable elders and champions in a war where duty and allegiance collide.

Word by Word

ततःthereafter

तौthose two

पुरुषव्याघ्रौtwo tiger-like men (great heroes)

उभौboth

माधवपाण्डवौMādhava and the Pāṇḍava (Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna)

द्रोणकर्णौDroṇa and Karṇa

समासाद्यhaving approached

अधिष्ठितौstood/posted (took position)

रणमूर्धनिat the forefront/head of battle

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa)

Pāṇḍava (Arjuna)

Droṇa

Karṇa

raṇamūrdhan (battlefront)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfast resolve in the face of daunting opposition: rightful action in war is not mere aggression but a deliberate assumption of responsibility—leaders step forward to meet the strongest adversaries, embodying courage and commitment to their chosen duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna move to the very front of the battlefield and position themselves directly before Droṇācārya and Karṇa, signaling an imminent high-stakes engagement with two of the Kaurava side’s greatest warriors.