Shloka 24

Devanagari script

उभौ वरायुधधरावुभौ रणकृतश्रमौ । उभौ च बाहुशब्देन नादयन्तौ नभस्तलम्‌

Transliteration

ubhau varāyudhadharāv ubhau raṇakṛtaśramau | ubhau ca bāhuśabdena nādayantau nabhastalam ||

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: Cả hai đều mang binh khí thượng hạng; cả hai đều dạn dày bởi nhọc nhằn nơi chiến trận. Và với tiếng gầm của đôi cánh tay, cả hai làm vòm trời vang dội.

Word by Word

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• वरायुधधरौ: both bearing excellent weapons
• वरायुधधरौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर-आयुध-धर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• रणकृतश्रमौ: both wearied by exertion in battle / having exerted themselves in battle
• रणकृतश्रमौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रण-कृत-श्रम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• बाहुशब्देन: with the sound of (their) arms
• बाहुशब्देन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु-शब्द
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• नादयन्तौ: making resound / causing to roar
• नादयन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• नभस्तलम्: the surface of the sky / the sky-region
• नभस्तलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस्-तल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• श्रेष्ठ आयुध (excellent weapons)
• नभस्तल (the sky/vault of heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights parity in martial excellence: both warriors are equally armed and equally hardened by combat. Ethically, it underscores a Mahābhārata theme—external prowess and disciplined effort do not by themselves resolve the question of dharma; war can magnify skill and pride even when moral clarity remains contested.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates a vivid battlefield moment: two opposing fighters, both carrying superior weapons and fatigued from sustained fighting, create a roaring din with their arm-movements, making the sky itself seem to echo—an image of escalating intensity before or during a close engagement.