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Shloka 17

महाराज! धृष्टकेतुने दूसरा धनुष लेकर तिहत्तर तीखे शिलीमुख बाणोंद्वारा पौरवको गहरी चोट पहुँचायी ।। तौ तु तत्र महेष्वासौ महामात्रौ महारथौ । महता शरवर्षेण परस्परमविध्यताम्‌,वे दोनों महाधनुर्ध,, महाबली और महारथी वीर एक-दूसरेको युद्धमें भारी बाणवर्षाद्वारा घायल कर रहे थे

tāv tu tatra maheṣvāsau mahāmātrau mahārathau | mahatā śaravarṣeṇa parasparam avidhyatām ||

Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, di medan perang itu, kedua-duanya—pemanah agung, panglima terkemuka, dan maharathi yang unggul—terus saling melukai, masing-masing mencurahkan hujan anak panah yang lebat ke atas lawannya.

tauthose two
tau:
Karta
TypePronoun
Roottad
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
tubut/indeed
tu:
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu
tatrathere
tatra:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Roottatra
mahā-iṣvāsautwo great archers
mahā-iṣvāsau:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootmahāiṣvāsa
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
mahā-mātrautwo great warriors/commanders
mahā-mātrau:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootmahāmātra
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
mahā-rathautwo great chariot-fighters
mahā-rathau:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootmahāratha
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
mahatāwith great
mahatā:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootmahat
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
śara-varṣeṇaby a shower of arrows
śara-varṣeṇa:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootśaravarṣa
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
parasparameach other/mutually
parasparam:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootparaspara
avidhyatāmthey two pierced/wounded
avidhyatām:
TypeVerb
Rootvyadh (√vyadh)
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Dual, Parasmaipada

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
M
Mahārāja (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, implied addressee)
T
two unnamed warriors (dual reference: maheṣvāsau/mahāmātrau/mahārathau)
B
bows
A
arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of steadfast engagement in battle—fighters meet force with force, accepting risk and injury as part of their duty—while also implicitly revealing the grim, escalating nature of warfare where mutual harm becomes the norm.

Sañjaya describes two elite warriors on the battlefield who are locked in a direct duel, repeatedly piercing each other with a powerful, continuous volley of arrows.