Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 9

Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57

Devanagari script

समानवीर्यो सम्प्रेक्ष्य प्रगृहीतगदावु भौ । विस्मयं परमं जम्मुर्देवगन्धर्वमानवा:

Transliteration

sa-māna-vīryau samprekṣya pragṛhīta-gadāv ubhau | vismayaṃ paramaṃ jagmur deva-gandharva-mānavāḥ ||

Translation

समान पराक्रम असलेल्या त्या दोघांना पुन्हा गदा उचललेले पाहून देव, गंधर्व आणि मनुष्य परम विस्मयाने थक्क झाले।

Word by Word

• समानवीर्यौ: the two of equal prowess
• समानवीर्यौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समानवीर्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• सम्प्रेक्ष्य: having seen/observed
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+प्रेक्ष्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• प्रगृहीतगदौ: the two who had taken up maces
• प्रगृहीतगदौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+गृह् (→ गृहीत) + गदा
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• विस्मयम्: astonishment
• विस्मयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परमम्: supreme/very great
• परमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जग्मुः: went/attained (became)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• देवगन्धर्वमानवाः: gods, gandharvas, and men
• देवगन्धर्वमानवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + गन्धर्व + मानव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• gadā (mace)
• devas
• gandharvas
• mānavas (humans)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the compelling force of kṣatriya valor: even after a pause, warriors of equal strength resume combat with unwavering resolve, and such steadfastness—though violent—evokes awe as a manifestation of heroic duty and indomitable spirit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that two evenly matched mace-fighters, after a brief respite, again grasp their maces and restart the battle; witnessing this, gods, Gandharvas, and humans are filled with intense astonishment.