Shloka 44

Devanagari script

गदाविमुक्तौ तौ भूय: समासाद्येतरेतरम्‌

Transliteration

gadāvimuktau tau bhūyaḥ samāsādya itaretaram

Translation

Sañjaya said: Having let go of their maces, the two warriors once again closed in upon each other, re-engaging at close quarters—unyielding in resolve as the battle’s fury pressed them toward renewed confrontation.

Word by Word

• गदा-विमुक्तौ: released from (their) maces / having let go of the mace
• गदा-विमुक्तौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गदा-विमुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• भूयः: again, once more
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्

• समासाद्य: having approached/closed in on
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (usage)

• इतरेतरम्: each other (mutually)
• इतरेतरम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इतरेतर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• gadā (mace)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness and relentless engagement in a warrior’s contest: even after discarding weapons, the opponents do not abandon the struggle but re-approach each other, reflecting the uncompromising momentum of battlefield duty and rivalry.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that two combatants, having released their maces, again move in close and confront one another directly, indicating a renewed phase of the duel at close quarters.