Shloka 25

नारायणास्त्र-शमनं द्रौणि-प्रहारश्च

Pacification of the Nārāyaṇāstra and Drauni’s Renewed Assault

Devanagari script

शरजालावृतं व्योम चक्रतुस्ती महारथौ । मेघाविव तपापाये वीरौ समरदुर्मदौ

Transliteration

śarajālāvṛtaṁ vyoma cakratuḥ stau mahārathau | meghāv iva tapāpāye vīrau samaradurmadau ||

Translation

సమరంలో ఉన్మత్తులైన ఆ ఇద్దరు వీర మహారథులు బాణజాలంతో ఆకాశాన్ని కప్పివేశారు; అది గ్రీష్మాంతంలో కమ్ముకొనే మేఘాల వలె కనిపించింది।

Word by Word

शरजालावृतम्covered by a net of arrows

व्योमsky

चक्रतुःthey made

तेthose two

महारथौtwo great chariot-warriors

मेघौtwo clouds

इवlike, as

तपापायेat the cessation of heat (end of summer)

वीरौtwo heroes

समरदुर्मदौhard to subdue in battle / battle-fierce

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

two mahārathas (unnamed in this verse)

arrows (śara)

sky (vyoma)

clouds (megha)

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 how unchecked martial ardor can become overwhelming—so intense that it metaphorically darkens the sky. Ethically, it invites reflection on the intoxicating momentum of conflict and the need for restraint even among the greatest warriors.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a fierce exchange between two elite chariot-warriors: their volleys of arrows form a ‘net’ that covers the sky, likened to clouds appearing when the heat of summer breaks—signaling the battle’s escalating, engulfing intensity.