Shloka 27
Devanagari script
तौ नखैरिव शार्दूलौ दन्तैरिव महाद्विपौ
Transliteration
tau nakhair iva śārdūlau dantair iva mahādvipau
Translation
तौ नखैरिव शार्दूलौ दन्तैरिव महाद्विपौ, परस्परं समासाद्य समरे पर्यवस्थितौ।
Word by Word
तौthose two
तौ:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
नखैःwith claws
नखैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootनख
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
इवas/like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
शार्दूलौtwo tigers
शार्दूलौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशार्दूल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
दन्तैःwith tusks/teeth
दन्तैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootदन्त
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
इवas/like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
महाद्विपौtwo great elephants
महाद्विपौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहाद्विप
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the Mahābhārata’s recurring ethical tension: in war, human beings can be driven into animal-like ferocity. It implicitly warns that unchecked wrath and the momentum of violence can eclipse discernment, even among the noble.
Sañjaya describes two warriors engaged in intense hand-to-hand or very close combat, comparing them to tigers using claws and to great elephants using tusks—an image emphasizing proximity, power, and mutual aggression.