Shloka 19

Nakula–Śakuni Duel and the Night Battle; Śikhaṇḍin–Kṛpa Engagement (नकुल-शकुनियुद्धं तथा रात्रियुद्धवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

अन्योन्यं तौ तथा वाग्भिस्तक्षन्तौ नरपुड़वी

Transliteration

anyonyam tau tathā vāgbhis takṣantau narapuṅgavau

Translation

ಆ ಇಬ್ಬರು ನರಪುಂಗವರು ಪರಸ್ಪರ ವಾಕ್ಪ್ರಹಾರಗಳಿಂದ ಒಂದೊಬ್ಬರನ್ನು ಒಂದೊಬ್ಬರು ಕತ್ತರಿಸುವಂತೆ ಗಾಯಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತಲೇ ಇದ್ದರು.

Word by Word

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually, each other
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य
• Form: Avyaya (adverbial use)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, dual

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा
• Form: Avyaya

• वाग्भिः: with words/speeches
• वाग्भिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: Feminine, instrumental, plural

• तक्षन्तौ: striking/hewing (at each other)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तक्ष्
• Form: Present tense (लट्), active (परस्मैपद), nominative dual participial form used predicatively; person/number: 3rd, dual (sense: 'they two are hewing/striking')

• नरपुङ्गवौ: the two best of men
• नरपुङ्गवौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरपुङ्गव
• Form: Masculine, nominative, dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• two foremost men (narapuṅgavau)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical danger of vāg-daṇḍa (harm through speech): words can 'cut' like weapons, and uncontrolled anger can degrade even great persons into mutual injury, making restraint and truthful, measured speech a form of dharma even amid war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two leading warriors engaged in a heated exchange, attacking one another with biting words—portrayed as if they were carving or hacking each other—signaling an escalation of hostility alongside the physical battle.