Shloka 376
Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57
परिवृत्ते5हनि क्रूरं वृत्रवासवयोरिव । इस प्रकार दिनकी समाप्तिके समय, उन दोनों वीरोंमें प्रकटरूपमें वृत्रासुर और इन्द्रके समान क्रूरतापूर्ण एवं भयंकर युद्ध होने लगा
parivṛtte 'hani krūraṁ vṛtrāvāsavayor iva |
Sañjaya said: As the day drew to its close, a fierce and dreadful combat became manifest between those two heroes—like the terrible clash of Vṛtra and Vāsava (Indra). In the waning light, the struggle hardens into a test of endurance and resolve, where valor is displayed without softening the moral weight of war’s cruelty.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how war intensifies as time presses—valor may shine, yet the narrative does not romanticize battle; it highlights its inherent cruelty. By invoking the Vṛtra–Indra archetype, it frames the duel as a cosmic-scale confrontation, reminding the listener that human conflict can mirror mythic forces of destruction and duty.
At the close of the day, two principal warriors (implied by context) engage in an openly fierce and terrifying fight. Sañjaya describes the scene to Dhṛtarāṣṭra using a well-known mythic comparison: their clash resembles the dreadful battle between Vṛtra and Indra.