Shloka 226
Vāg-yuddha and Nimitta-darśana before the Gadāyuddha
Verbal Duel and Omens
दहन्तौ लोचनै राजन् परस्परवधैषिणौ । राजन! क्रोधमें भरे हुए दो गजराजोंके समान एक-दूसरेके वधकी इच्छा रखनेवाले वे दोनों वीर परस्पर इस प्रकार देखने लगे, मानो नेत्रोंद्वारा एक-दूसरेको भस्म कर डालेंगे
sañjaya uvāca | dahantau locanai rājān parasparavadhaiṣiṇau |
സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—രാജാവേ, പരസ്പരവധാഭിലാഷത്തോടെ ക്രോധം നിറഞ്ഞ ആ രണ്ടു വീരന്മാർ തമ്മിൽ തമ്മിൽ അങ്ങനെ നോക്കി; കണ്ണുകളുടെ അഗ്നിയാൽ തന്നെ പരസ്പരം ഭസ്മമാക്കുമെന്നപോലെ।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral danger of krodha (anger): when it dominates, it narrows perception so that the opponent becomes only a target, and the will turns toward mutual destruction. It implicitly warns that inner fire precedes outer violence, and that self-mastery is ethically prior even amid kṣatriya conflict.
Sañjaya describes two opposing warriors facing each other in the battle, staring with such fury that it seems their gaze itself could burn. Both are portrayed as determined to kill the other, signaling an imminent clash driven by rage.