Shloka 29
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 13 — Kīcaka’s Proposition and Draupadī’s Dharmic Refusal
शलाकानखपातैश्न पादोदधूतैश्न दारुणै: । जानुभिश्नचाश्मनिर्घोषै: शिरोभि श्चावघट्टनै:,कभी वे रोषपूर्वक अंगुलियोंके नखोंसे एक-दूसरेको बकोटते। कभी पैरोंसे उलझाकर दोनों दोनोंको गिरा देते। कभी घुटने और सिरसे टक्कर मारते; जिससे पत्थर टकरानेके समान भयंकर शब्द होता था
śalākā-nakha-pātaiś ca pādod-dhūtaiś ca dāruṇaiḥ | jānubhiś ca aśma-nirghoṣaiḥ śirobhiś cāvaghaṭṭanaiḥ ||
Disse Vaiśampāyana: Na fúria, arranhavam-se com unhas agudas como espinhos; enredavam as pernas e derrubavam-se com varridas duras; e golpeavam com joelhos e cabeçadas, produzindo um estrondo terrível, como pedras a colidir—imagem de um combate movido pela ira, mais do que pela contenção.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger (roṣa) degrades conduct into brutal, uncontrolled violence; it implicitly contrasts such rage-driven fighting with the ideal of disciplined strength and self-restraint expected in dharmic behavior.
A fierce hand-to-hand struggle is being described: the fighters claw with nails, trip and throw with their feet, and collide with knees and heads, creating a terrifying sound like stones striking together.