Shloka 33
Duryodhana-patana-anuśocana
The Fall of Duryodhana and the Contest of Restraint
समरे प्रद्रुती तो तु वृषभाक्षौ तरस्विनौ । अन्योन्यं जष्नतुर्वीरी पड़कस्थौ महिषाविव,बैलके समान विशाल नेत्रोंवाले वे दोनों वेगशशाली वीर समरांगणमें परस्पर धावा करके कीचड़में खड़े हुए दो भैंसोंके समान एक-दूसरेपर चोट करते थे
samare pradrutī tau tu vṛṣabhākṣau tarasvinau | anyonyaṃ jaṣṇatur vīrau paṅkāsthau mahiṣāv iva ||
Vāyu said: In the thick of battle, those two mighty, bull-eyed warriors rushed at one another and struck back and forth—like two buffaloes standing in mud, locking in combat. The image underscores the raw, bodily ferocity of war, where valor expresses itself through direct confrontation and unyielding endurance.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfast courage and direct engagement in battle, while also implicitly showing the brutal, mire-like entanglement of war—where strength and endurance dominate and ethical stakes are carried through duty rather than comfort.
Vāyu describes two powerful warriors charging at each other and exchanging heavy blows. Their struggle is compared to two buffaloes standing in mud and butting/locking horns, emphasizing closeness, force, and relentless impact.