Mahabharata 4.13.25 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

वीरौ परमसंहृष्टावन्‍्योन्यजयकाड्क्षिणौ | आसीत्‌ सुभीम: सम्पातो वज्रपर्वतयोरिव

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | vīrau paramasaṁhṛṣṭāv anyonyajayakāṅkṣiṇau | āsīt subhīmaḥ sampāto vajraparvatayor iva ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：两位英雄皆欢腾不已，各自渴望战胜对方，遂以最可怖的猛冲相撞——如金刚雷霆撞击高山。此偈既写出胜利之欲在战斗中的醉人牵引，也暗示当武勇主要被压倒对手的渴求驱使时，后果将何其沉重。

Word by Word

• वीरौ: the two heroes
• वीरौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• परमसंहृष्टौ: exceedingly delighted
• परमसंहृष्टौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमसंहृष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• अन्योन्यजयकाङ्क्षिणौ: desiring each other's victory/defeat (i.e., eager to conquer one another)
• अन्योन्यजयकाङ्क्षिणौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्योन्यजयकाङ्क्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• आसीत्: was
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• सु: very; well
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु

• भीमः: Bhima
• भीमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सम्पातः: collision; encounter; onset
• सम्पातः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्पात
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वज्रपर्वतयोः: of the thunderbolt-like mountains
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्रपर्वत
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Dual

• इव: like; as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• vajra (thunderbolt)
• parvata (mountain)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the thirst for victory can intensify conflict: even noble warriors, when driven by mutual conquest, generate a terrifying force. It implicitly invites reflection on restraint and the ethical weight of martial ambition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two warriors, thrilled and intent on defeating one another, charge into a fierce clash. Their encounter is compared to the impact of a thunderbolt against a mountain, emphasizing the violence and magnitude of the moment.