Shloka 24
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 13 — Kīcaka’s Proposition and Draupadī’s Dharmic Refusal
Devanagari script
ततस्तौ नरशार्दूलौ बाहुयुद्धं समीयतु:
Transliteration
tatastau naraśārdūlau bāhuyuddhaṃ samīyatuḥ
Translation
ครั้นแล้วบุรุษดุจพยัคฆ์ทั้งสองก็เข้าประชิด เพื่อประลองยุทธ์ด้วยวงแขน
Word by Word
ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
Formअव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययः)
तौthose two (they/two of them)
तौ:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचनम्
नरशार्दूलौtwo tiger-like men, two best of men
नरशार्दूलौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनरशार्दूल
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, द्विवचनम्
बाहुयुद्धम्arm-fight, wrestling
बाहुयुद्धम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootबाहुयुद्ध
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्
समीयतुःthey came together, engaged
समीयतुः:
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + इ (इङ्)
Formलिट् (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः, द्विवचनम्
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
व
वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)त
तौ नरशार्दूलौ (the two tiger-like men; unnamed in this verse)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of confronting conflict directly and courageously. By moving into bāhuyuddha (hand-to-hand combat), the narrative emphasizes personal valor and disciplined force—strength governed by warrior duty rather than mere aggression.
Vaiśampāyana describes a shift from earlier modes of engagement to close combat: the two heroic opponents come together and begin fighting with their arms, signaling an intensification of the encounter.