Shloka 27

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 13 — Kīcaka’s Proposition and Draupadī’s Dharmic Refusal

Devanagari script

उभौ परमसंद्ृष्टी मत्ताविव महागजौ | कृतप्रतिकृतैश्षित्रैर्बाहुभिश्व सुसड्कटै: । संनिपातावधूतैश्न प्रमाथोन्‍्मथनैस्तथाः,दोनोंमें भरपूर हर्ष और उत्साह भरा था। दोनों ही मतवाले गजराजोंकी भाँति एक-दूसरेसे भिड़े हुए थे। जब एक-दूसरेका कोई अंग जोरसे दबाता, तब दूसरा फौरन उसका प्रतीकार करता--उस अंगको उसकी पकड़से छुड़ा लेता था। दोनों एक-दूसरेके हाथोंको मुट्टीसे पकड़कर विवश कर देते और विचित्र ढंगसे परस्पर प्रहार करते थे। दोनों आपसमें गुँथ जाते और फिर धक्के देकर एक दूसरेको दूर हटा देते। कभी एक-दूसरेको पटककर जमीनपर रगड़ता, तो दूसरा नीचेसे ही कुलाँचकर ऊपरवालेको दूर फेंक देता या उसे लिये-दिये खड़ा हो अपने शरीरसे दबाकर उसके अंगोंको भी मथ डालता था

Transliteration

ubhau paramasaṃdṛṣṭī mattāv iva mahāgajau | kṛtapratikṛtaiś citrair bāhubhiś ca susaṅkaṭaiḥ || saṃnipātāvadhūtaiś ca pramāthonmathanais tathā ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Ang dalawang mandirigma, magkasing-lakas at magkasing-tatag ang loob, ay sumugod sa isa’t isa na parang dalawang lasing na haring elepante. Sa makapangyarihang bisig na mahigpit ang pagkakakandado, nagpalitan sila ng kapit at kontra-kapit—agad na binabaklas ng bawat isa ang hawak ng kalaban. Hinuli at pinigil nila ang mga kamay ng isa’t isa, tumama sa mga di-karaniwang paraan, nagyakap sa dibdib, saka muling nagtulakan palayo. Minsan, ibinabagsak ng isa ang kabila at kinikiskis sa lupa; minsan naman, ang nasa ilalim ay biglang tumatalon, itinatapon ang kalaban, o tumatayo habang pasan siya, dinidiin at pinipilipit ang mga biyas sa lakas ng katawan. Ipinakikita ng tagpong ito hindi lamang poot, kundi ang disiplinadong pagtitiis at ang kaloobang tumbasan ang lakas ng lakas sa tunggalian ng magkapantay.

Word by Word

उभौboth (two persons)

परम-संदृष्टिof supreme appearance/looking splendid

मत्तौintoxicated, rut-mad

इवlike, as if

महागजौtwo great elephants

कृत-प्रतिकृतैःwith acts and counter-acts (done and retaliated)

चित्रैःvaried, strange

बाहुभिःwith arms

चand

सुसंकटैःvery tight/close (hard to escape)

संनिपात-अवधूतैःwith (moves) shaken by collision/impact

चand

प्रमाथ-उन्मथनैःwith crushing and churning (violent wrestlings)

तथाthus, in that manner

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined endurance and parity in contest: strength is shown not only by striking but by composure, quick countering, and resilience. Ethically, it portrays controlled prowess—answering force with measured skill rather than uncontrolled cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two evenly matched fighters grapple intensely like rutting elephants—locking arms, reversing holds, throwing, pushing apart, and crushing in close combat—each immediately countering the other’s maneuvers.