Shloka 2

Śaineya–Bhūriśravas: Genealogy, Svayaṃvara Contest, and the Maheśvara Boon

Devanagari script

स सम्प्रहारस्तुमुलो द्रोणसात्वतयोरभूत्‌ । पश्यतां सर्वसैन्यानां बलिवासवयोरिव,राजन! सम्पूर्ण सैनिकोंके देखते-देखते बलि और इन्द्रके समान द्रोणाचार्य और सात्यकिका वह युद्ध बड़ा भयंकर हो गया

Transliteration

sa samprahāras tumulo droṇa-sātvatayor abhūt | paśyatāṁ sarva-sainyānāṁ balivāsavayor iva, rājan ||

Translation

రాజా! సమస్త సైన్యాలు చూస్తుండగానే ద్రోణాచార్యుడు మరియు సాత్యకి మధ్య బలి–వాసవుడు (ఇంద్రుడు) యుద్ధంలా ఘోరమైన, తుములమైన సమరం చెలరేగింది।

Word by Word

सःthat (he/it)

सम्प्रहारःcombat, clash

तुमुलःtumultuous, fierce

द्रोणof Droṇa

सात्वतयोःof the Sātvata (Sātyaki) (dual form used with Droṇa in the pair)

अभूत्was, became

पश्यताम्while (they) were watching; of those watching

सर्वof all

सैन्यानाम्of the armies

बलिof Bali

वासवयोःof Vāsava (Indra) (dual form used with Bali in the pair)

इवlike, as

राजन्O king

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇa (Droṇācārya)

Sātyaki (Sātvata)

Bali

Vāsava (Indra)

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'rājan')

the armies (sarva-sainyāni)

Character 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

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the epic’s moral tension: even exemplary figures—Droṇa as revered teacher and Sātyaki as celebrated warrior—become instruments of devastating violence when bound by allegiance and perceived duty. The public witnessing of the clash suggests that war’s ethical burden is not private; it is borne and judged in the sight of the community.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to the king that a terrifying duel erupts between Droṇa and Sātyaki. The fight is so intense that it is compared to the legendary battle between Bali and Indra, and it unfolds before the eyes of the entire assembled host.