Shloka 32

द्रौणि-पार्षतयोर्युद्धम् | The Duel of Aśvatthāmā

Drauṇi) and Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata

Devanagari script

निर्दहन्तौ महाराज श्त्रवृष्ट्या परस्परम्‌

Transliteration

nirdahantau mahārāja śastravṛṣṭyā parasparam

Translation

निर्दहन्तौ महाराज शस्त्रवृष्ट्या परस्परम्॥

Word by Word

• निर्दहन्तौ: the two are burning/consuming
• निर्दहन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्दह् (नि + दह्)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम, द्विवचनम्

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्

• शस्त्रवृष्ट्या: with a shower of weapons
• शस्त्रवृष्ट्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्रवृष्टि
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचनम्

• परस्परम्: each other / mutually
• परस्परम्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical cost of unchecked martial fury: when combat becomes a mutual ‘burning,’ skill serves destruction rather than dharma, reminding the listener that war’s momentum can overwhelm restraint and compassion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that two opposing fighters are locked in an intense exchange, pelting each other with weapons like a torrential rain, each trying to overpower and ‘consume’ the other.