Shloka 24
उभौ वरायुधधरावुभौ रणकृतश्रमौ । उभौ च बाहुशब्देन नादयन्तौ नभस्तलम्,दोनोंने श्रेष्ठ आयुध धारण कर रखे थे, दोनोंने ही युद्धकी कला सीखनेमें परिश्रम किया था और दोनों अपनी भुजाओंके शब्दसे आकाशको प्रतिध्वनित कर रहे थे
ubhau varāyudhadharāv ubhau raṇakṛtaśramau | ubhau ca bāhuśabdena nādayantau nabhastalam ||
Sañjaya said: Both of them bore excellent weapons; both were seasoned by the exertions of battle. And with the thunder of their arms, both made the vault of the sky resound—signaling equal martial prowess and the fierce momentum of the war, where strength and discipline, rather than moral certainty, dominate the moment.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights parity in martial excellence: both warriors are equally armed and equally hardened by combat. Ethically, it underscores a Mahābhārata theme—external prowess and disciplined effort do not by themselves resolve the question of dharma; war can magnify skill and pride even when moral clarity remains contested.
Sañjaya narrates a vivid battlefield moment: two opposing fighters, both carrying superior weapons and fatigued from sustained fighting, create a roaring din with their arm-movements, making the sky itself seem to echo—an image of escalating intensity before or during a close engagement.