Shloka 27

द्रोणपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 15): युधिष्ठिर-रक्षा तथा अर्जुनस्य शरवृष्टिः

Devanagari script

आपेततुर्महावेगौ समुच्छितगदावुभौ । पुनरन्तरमार्गस्थौ मण्डलानि विचेरतु:,वे दोनों महावेगशाली वीर गदा उठाये एक-दूसरेपर टूट पड़े। फिर अन्तर्मार्गमें स्थित हो मण्डलाकार गतिसे विचरने लगे

Transliteration

āpetatur mahāvegau samucchita-gadāv ubhau | punar antar-mārga-sthau maṇḍalāni viceratuḥ ||

Translation

आपेततुर्महावेगौ समुच्छितगदावुभौ । पुनरन्तरमार्गस्थौ मण्डलानि विचेरतुः ॥

Word by Word

• आपेततुः: they two rushed/advanced
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + इ (धातु: इ)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथम, द्विवचन

• महावेगौ: very swift/with great speed (two)
• महावेगौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• समुच्छितगदौ: having uplifted maces (two)
• समुच्छितगदौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुच्छितगदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• पुनः: again/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• अन्तरमार्गस्थौ: standing/positioned in the intervening path/space (two)
• अन्तरमार्गस्थौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तरमार्गस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• मण्डलानि: circles/rounds
• मण्डलानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• विचेरतुः: they two moved about/wandered
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चर् (धातु: चर्)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथम, द्विवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• gadā (mace)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined combat: even amid lethal conflict, trained warriors regulate distance, movement, and timing. Ethical force in kṣatriya-dharma is not mere rage but controlled skill—seeking a fair opening rather than indiscriminate striking.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two mace-wielding fighters surge toward each other with great speed, then shift into close-range positioning and begin circling in mandala-like patterns, probing for advantage before committing to a decisive blow.