Shloka 28

तौ पौत्रौ तव दुर्धर्षो परस्परवधैषिणौ । पितृणामर्थसिद्धयर्थ चक्रतुर्युद्धमुत्तमम्‌,आपके दोनों दुर्जय पौत्र एक-दूसरेके वधकी इच्छा रखकर अपने पितृगणोंका मनोरथ सिद्ध करनेके लिये अच्छी तरह युद्ध करने लगे

tau pautrau tava durdharṣau parasparavadhaiṣiṇau | pitṝṇām arthasiddhyarthaṃ cakratur yuddham uttamam ||

Sañjaya said: Your two grandsons, both hard to overcome, each intent on the other’s death, engaged in a fierce and excellent combat in order to fulfill the aims of their fathers. The scene underscores how filial loyalty and inherited enmity can intensify violence, turning personal valor into an instrument of family purpose within the larger moral tragedy of war.

तौthose two
तौ:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
पौत्रौgrandsons
पौत्रौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपौत्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
तवyour
तव:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Singular
दुर्धर्षौhard to assail, invincible
दुर्धर्षौ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदुर्धर्ष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
परस्पर-वध-एषिणौdesiring each other's death
परस्पर-वध-एषिणौ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootएषिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
पितृणाम्of (their) fathers/ancestors
पितृणाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
अर्थ-सिद्धि-अर्थम्for the accomplishment of the purpose
अर्थ-सिद्धि-अर्थम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
चक्रतुःthey two did/made
चक्रतुः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormPerfect (Liṭ), Third, Dual
युद्धम्battle
युद्धम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootयुद्ध
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उत्तमम्excellent, best
उत्तमम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउत्तम
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'tava')
T
two grandsons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (unnamed in this verse)
T
their fathers (pitaraḥ)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how duty to one’s lineage and the desire to fulfill a father’s aims can fuel extreme hostility, showing the ethical tension in war where personal prowess is driven by inherited obligations and vendettas.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that his two grandsons are locked in intense single combat, each trying to kill the other, fighting vigorously to accomplish the objectives associated with their respective fathers.