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Shloka 22

द्रोणपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 15): युधिष्ठिर-रक्षा तथा अर्जुनस्य शरवृष्टिः

नखैरिव महाव्याप्रौ दनतैरिव महागजौ । तौ विचेरतुरासाद्य गदाग्रया भ्यां परस्परम्‌,जैसे दो बड़े व्याप्र पंजोंसे और दो विशाल हाथी दाँतोंसे आपसमें प्रहार करते हैं, उसी प्रकार भीमसेन और शल्य गदाओंके अग्रभागसे एक-दूसरेपर प्रहार करते हुए विचर रहे थे

nakhair iva mahāvyāghrau dantair iva mahāgajau | tau viceratur āsādya gadāgrābhyāṃ parasparam ||

三阇耶说道:如两头猛虎以利爪相击,又如两头巨象以长牙相挑,毗摩塞那与舍利耶逼近彼此,盘旋周旋,各以铁锤前端互相猛击——此乃战争凶暴之象:在那一刻,决定胜负的不是道义劝说,而是力量与决心。

नखैःwith claws
नखैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootनख
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
इवas/like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
महाव्याघ्रौtwo great tigers
महाव्याघ्रौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहाव्याघ्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
दन्तैःwith tusks/teeth
दन्तैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootदन्त
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
इवas/like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
महागजौtwo great elephants
महागजौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहागज
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
तौthose two
तौ:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
विचेरतुःthey two moved about/roamed
विचेरतुः:
TypeVerb
Rootवि + चर्
FormImperfect (Lan), 3rd, Dual, Parasmaipada
आसाद्यhaving approached/encountered
आसाद्य:
TypeVerb
Rootआ + सद्
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
गदाग्राभ्याम्with the tips/foreparts of (their) maces
गदाग्राभ्याम्:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootगदाग्र
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Dual
परस्परम्each other/mutually
परस्परम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपरस्पर

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
B
Bhīmasena
Ś
Śalya
G
gadā (mace)

Educational Q&A

The verse underscores the raw, impersonal force of battlefield duty: in the kṣatriya sphere, conflict can reduce to sheer power and endurance, vividly conveyed through animal similes that highlight how violence escalates when opponents are evenly matched.

Sañjaya describes Bhīmasena and Śalya closing distance and striking one another with the front ends of their maces, moving about in mutual attack, compared to tigers clawing and elephants goring.