Shloka 15

अर्जुनस्य दिग्विजयारम्भः — Arjuna Initiates the Northern Campaign and Secures Bhagadattta’s Tribute

Devanagari script

करसम्पीडनं कृत्वा गर्जन्ती वारणाविव । नर्दन्तौ मेघसंकाशौ बाहुप्रहरणावुभौ,फिर एक-दूसरेके हाथ दबाकर वे दोनों दो गजराजोंकी भाँति गर्जने लगे। दोनों ही भुजाओंसे प्रहार करते हुए मेघके समान गम्भीर स्वरसे सिंहनाद करने लगे

Transliteration

karasampīḍanaṃ kṛtvā garjantī vāraṇāv iva | nardantau meghasaṅkāśau bāhu-praharaṇāv ubhau ||

Translation

Sau khi siết chặt và ép tay nhau, cả hai gầm vang như đôi voi chúa. Vừa vung tay đánh đòn, họ vừa rống lên bằng giọng trầm dày như mây giông—phô bày sức mạnh không biết sợ và ý chí không chịu khuất phục trong cuộc tranh tài.

Word by Word

करसम्पीडनम्hand-pressing, clasping of hands

कृत्वाhaving done

गर्जन्तौroaring (the two)

वारणौtwo elephants

इवlike, as

नर्दन्तौbellowing/roaring (the two)

मेघसंकाशौcloud-like, resembling clouds

बाहुप्रहरणौusing arms as weapons / striking with arms

उभौboth

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

two unnamed combatants (ubhau)

elephants (vāraṇau)

clouds (megha)

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 the kṣātra (warrior) ideal of fearlessness and steadfastness: in a direct contest, one must meet the opponent with courage and controlled power, without wavering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two fighters close in, clasp and press each other’s hands, then roar and strike with their arms, compared to two great elephants and to the deep rumble of clouds—an image of escalating intensity in a physical duel.