Shloka 33

रणभूमिवर्णनम् — Devāsuropama-yuddha and the ‘River’ Metaphor of the Battlefield

Devanagari script

माद्रीपुत्रो तु शकुनिमुलूकं च महारथम्‌

Transliteration

mādrīputro tu śakunim ulūkaṃ ca mahāratham

Translation

Sañjaya said: Madri’s son (Nakula) then confronted Śakuni, and also Ulūka, that great chariot-warrior—pressing the battle against the chief instigators and champions of the Kaurava side.

Word by Word

• माद्रीपुत्रः: the son of Madri (Nakula/Sahadeva)
• माद्रीपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: माद्रीपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• शकुनिम्: Shakuni
• शकुनिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुनि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उलूकम्: Uluka
• उलूकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महारथम्: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Nakula (Mādrīputra)
• Śakuni
• Ulūka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in action: confronting those seen as principal agents of wrongdoing (Śakuni and his son) within the lawful arena of battle, where accountability is pursued through sanctioned combat rather than private vengeance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Sañjaya’s battlefield report, Nakula (son of Mādrī) advances against Śakuni and also Ulūka, described as a mahāratha, indicating a focused engagement with prominent Kaurava figures during the Kurukṣetra war.