Mahabharata 7.135.30 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 135, Shloka 30

द्रौणि-पार्षतयोर्युद्धम् | The Duel of Aśvatthāmā

Drauṇi) and Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata

Devanagari script

अन्योनयं प्रजिहीर्षन्तावन्योन्यस्यान्तरैषिणौ

Transliteration

anyonyam prajihīrṣantāv anyonyasyāntaraiṣiṇau

Translation

ਸੰਜਯ ਬੋਲਿਆ—ਦੋਵੇਂ ਇਕ-ਦੂਜੇ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਤ ਦੇਣਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਸਨ; ਦੋਵੇਂ ਹੀ ਦੂਜੇ ਦੀ ਖੁੱਲ੍ਹ, ਕਮਜ਼ੋਰ ਪਲ ਲੱਭਣ ਵਿੱਚ ਲੱਗੇ ਹੋਏ ਸਨ।

Word by Word

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually, each other
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य
• Form: Avyaya (adverbial accusative usage)

• प्रजिहीर्षन्तौ: the two wish to take away/rob
• प्रजिहीर्षन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + हृ (जिहीर्ष)
• Form: Present tense (Lat), Parasmaipada, nominative dual (agreeing with subject), 3rd person dual

• अन्योन्यस्य: of each other
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्योन्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अन्तरैषिणौ: seeking an opening/weak point
• अन्तरैषिणौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तरैषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In conflict, victory often turns on vigilance and timing: both sides look for the smallest lapse (antara) in the other. Ethically, the line highlights how war reduces attention to openings and advantage rather than to reconciliation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two opposing fighters locked in a tense exchange, each trying to gain the upper hand and searching for a momentary weakness in the other’s defense.