Shloka 33

Duryodhana-patana-anuśocana

The Fall of Duryodhana and the Contest of Restraint

Devanagari script

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

Transliteration

samare pradrutī tau tu vṛṣabhākṣau tarasvinau | anyonyaṃ jaṣṇatur vīrau paṅkāsthau mahiṣāv iva ||

Translation

സമരത്തിൽ വൃഷഭാക്ഷികളായ, ശക്തിമാന്മാരായ ആ രണ്ടു വീരന്മാർ പരസ്പരം പാഞ്ഞെത്തി, ചെളിയിൽ നിൽക്കുന്ന രണ്ടു മഹിഷങ്ങളെപ്പോലെ തമ്മിൽ തമ്മിൽ പ്രഹരിക്കാൻ തുടങ്ങി.

Word by Word

समरेin battle

प्रद्रुतीran forth/charged

तौthose two

तुbut/indeed

वृषभाक्षौbull-eyed, large-eyed

तरस्विनौswift/impetuous

अन्योन्यम्each other, mutually

जघ्नतुःstruck/slew

वीरौthe two heroes

पङ्कस्थौstanding in mud

महिषौtwo buffaloes

इवlike/as

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyu (Vāyudeva) as speaker

two unnamed warriors (vīrau)

battlefield (samara)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.