Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 32

Vāg-yuddha and Nimitta-darśana before the Gadāyuddha

Verbal Duel and Omens

Devanagari script

अन्योन्यमभिधावन्तौ मत्ताविव महाद्विपौ । वासितासंगमे दृप्ती शरदीव मदोत्कटौ

Transliteration

anyonyam abhidhāvantau mattāv iva mahādvipau | vāsitāsaṅgame dṛptī śaradīva madotkaṭau ||

Translation

สัญชัยกล่าวว่า ดุจช้างใหญ่สองเชือกที่เมามัน กำเริบด้วยทิฐิ ในฤดูสารทเมื่อเร่งรุดเพื่อการสมสู่ ต่างพุ่งเข้าหากันฉันใด วีรบุรุษทั้งสองผู้ทะนงในกำลังก็เร่งเข้าปะทะฉันนั้น. ทั้งคู่เป็นผู้ปราบศัตรู จ้องกันด้วยโทสะ ประหนึ่งงูสองตัวพ่นพิษแห่งความเดือดดาลอันลุกโพลง.

Word by Word

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually, each other
• अन्योन्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य
• Form: Avyaya (adverbial accusative usage)

• अभिधावन्तौ: running towards (charging)
• अभिधावन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धाव्
• Form: Present participle (शतृ), masculine nominative dual

• मत्तौ: intoxicated, rut-maddened
• मत्तौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त
• Form: Masculine nominative dual

• इव: like, as if
• इव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: Avyaya

• महाद्विपौ: two great elephants
• महाद्विपौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाद्विप
• Form: Masculine nominative dual

• वासिता-सङ्गमे: in the union/meeting with a female elephant in heat
• वासिता-सङ्गमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासिता-सङ्गम
• Form: Masculine locative singular

• दृप्ती: proud, haughty
• दृप्ती: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृप्त
• Form: Masculine nominative dual

• शरदि: in autumn
• शरदि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरद्
• Form: Feminine locative singular

• इव: like, as if
• इव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: Avyaya

• मद-उत्कटौ: fierce with rut/intoxication
• मद-उत्कटौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदोत्कट
• Form: Masculine nominative dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• two unnamed warriors (the pair being compared)
• elephants (mahādvipa)
• serpents (implied in the simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how pride in strength and unchecked anger can drive warriors into destructive collision, likening martial fury to animal rut and serpent-venom—an implicit warning that passion and wrath, when ungoverned by dharma, intensify violence and cloud discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two opposing champions rushing at each other for a direct clash. Their mutual charge and hostile staring are portrayed through vivid similes: musth-maddened elephants seeking combat and serpents spewing the poison of blazing rage.