Shloka 17

Devanagari script

तोमरैरभिवर्षन्ती जीमूताविव वार्षिकौ । एकैकेन विपाठेन जघ्ने माद्रवतीसुत:,उस समय तोमरोंकी वर्षा करते हुए वे दोनों योद्धा वर्षाऋतुके दो बादलोंके समान जान पड़ते थे। परंतु माद्रीनन्दन नकुलने एक-एक विपाठ नामक बाण मारकर उन दोनोंको धराशायी कर दिया

Transliteration

tomarair abhivarṣantī jīmūtāv iva vārṣikau | ekaikena vipāṭhena jaghne mādravatīsutaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Khi trút mưa lao, họ trông như đôi mây mùa mưa. Nhưng Nakula, con của Mādrī, đã hạ gục cả hai—mỗi người chỉ bằng một mũi tên Vipāṭha.

Word by Word

तोमरैःwith javelins/spears

अभिवर्षन्तीshowering (down) / raining upon

जीमूतौtwo clouds

इवlike/as

वार्षिकौrainy-season (ones)

एकैकॆनwith each (one) / one by one

विपाठेनwith a Vipāṭha (named) arrow

जघ्नेslew/struck down

माद्रवती-सुतःthe son of Mādravatī (Nakula)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Nakula (Mādravatī-suta, son of Mādrī)

tomara (javelin/spear)

Vipāṭha (arrow/missile)

rainy-season clouds (jīmūta, vārṣika)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that measured skill and accurate aim can prevail over overwhelming aggression; ethical martial excellence is shown not by indiscriminate violence but by controlled, decisive action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two fighters hurl javelins in a dense barrage, likened to monsoon clouds raining. Nakula counters effectively and brings them down, striking each with a single Vipāṭha arrow.