Shloka 2

Devanagari script

(आशीविषावग्निमिवापधूमं वैरं मुखाभ्यामभिनि:श्वसन्तौ । यशस्विनौ जज्वलतुर्मधे तदा घृतावसिक्ताविव हव्यवाहौ ।।

Transliteration

āśīviṣāv agnim ivāpa-dhūmaṃ vairaṃ mukhābhyām abhiniḥśvasantau | yaśasvinau jajvalatur madhe tadā ghṛtāvasiktāv iva havyavāhau ||

Translation

ତେବେ ସେଇ ଦୁଇ ଯଶସ୍ବୀ ବୀର ଦୀର୍ଘ ନିଶ୍ୱାସ ଛାଡ଼ି, ବିଷଧର ସର୍ପମାନଙ୍କ ପରି, ମୁଖରୁ ଧୂମରହିତ ଅଗ୍ନି ସଦୃଶ ବୈରଭାବ ପ୍ରକାଶ କରୁଥିବା ପରି ଲାଗିଲେ। ରଣମଧ୍ୟରେ ସେମାନେ ଘୃତାହୁତିରେ ପ୍ରଜ୍ୱଲିତ ଦୁଇ ଯଜ୍ଞାଗ୍ନି ପରି ଦେଦୀପ୍ୟମାନ ହେଲେ। ଯେପରି ହିମବତ୍ ପ୍ରଦେଶର ମଦଧାରା ବହାଉଥିବା, ବଡ଼ ଦାନ୍ତବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ଦୁଇ ଗଜ ଗଜିନୀ ପାଇଁ ଯୁଦ୍ଧ କରନ୍ତି, ସେପରି ଉଗ୍ର ପରାକ୍ରମୀ ଧନଞ୍ଜୟ ଅର୍ଜୁନ ଓ ସୂତପୁତ୍ର କର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଯୁଦ୍ଧ ପାଇଁ ପରସ୍ପର ସମ୍ମୁଖେ ଆସିଲେ।

Word by Word

• आशीविष: venomous serpent
• आशीविष: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशीविष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अग्निम्: fire
• अग्निम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अपधूमम्: smokeless
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपधूम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वैरम्: enmity
• वैरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मुखाभ्याम्: with (their) mouths
• मुखाभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Dual

• अभिनिःश्वसन्तौ: breathing out strongly
• अभिनिःश्वसन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-नि-श्वस्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• यशस्विनौ: glorious/famed (two)
• यशस्विनौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• जज्वलतुः: blazed
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्वल्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Dual, Parasmaipada

• मधे: in the middle
• मधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तदा: then/at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• घृतावसिक्तौ: sprinkled with ghee
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घृत-अवसिक्त
• Form: Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• हव्यवाहौ: two fire-gods / two fires (bearers of oblations)
• हव्यवाहौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव्यवाह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• two warriors (Arjuna and Karna, by context of the Karṇa Parva battle)
• Agni (havyavāha, sacrificial fire)
• venomous serpents (āśīviṣa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how inner hostility (vaira) manifests outwardly as consuming heat—brilliant like sacrificial fire yet destructive like serpent-venom. It implicitly contrasts the radiance of fame and martial excellence with the ethical danger of being driven by enmity rather than restraint and right intention.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the moment when the two famed champions face each other in battle, breathing fiercely and appearing to blaze with anger. The imagery compares them to venomous serpents and to two ghee-fed sacrificial fires, emphasizing the intensity of the impending clash.