Mahabharata 4.13.32 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

प्रकर्षणाकर्षणयोरभ्याकर्षविकर्षणै:* | आकर्षतुरथान्योन्यं जानुभिश्चापि जघ्नतु:

Transliteration

prakarṣaṇākarṣaṇayor abhyākarṣavikarṣaṇaiḥ | ākarṣatur athānyonyaṃ jānubhiś cāpi jaghnatuḥ ||

Translation

毗舍摩波耶那说：在拉扯与反拉扯的角力中——彼此拖拽、扭转、强行牵制——他们把对方拽到近前，甚至以膝相击。此景尽显赤裸的肉搏之争：克制让位于蛮力，昭示傲慢与争胜之心如何驱使人一步步走向愈演愈烈的暴烈。

Word by Word

• प्रकर्षण: in pulling
• प्रकर्षण: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकर्षण (प्र + कृ + ल्युट्)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Dual

• आकर्षणयोः: and in drawing (towards oneself)
• आकर्षणयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकर्षण (आ + कृ + ल्युट्)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Dual

• अभ्याकर्ष: by (acts of) pulling towards
• अभ्याकर्ष: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्याकर्ष (अभि + आ + कृ + घञ्/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विकर्षणैः: by (acts of) dragging apart
• विकर्षणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकर्षण (वि + कृ + ल्युट्)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• आकर्षतुः: the two drew/pulled
• आकर्षतुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कृ (धातु: कृ/कर्ष्-भावे; here from √कृष्/√कर्ष् ‘to draw’ as verb-form आकृष्/आकर्ष्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Dual

• रथान्: chariots
• रथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually, each other
• अन्योन्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य

• जानुभिः: with (their) knees
• जानुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

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

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• जघ्नतुः: the two struck
• जघ्नतुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Dual

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Unchecked rivalry and pride can quickly turn a contest into cruelty; the verse highlights how conflict escalates when self-control and dharma-based restraint are abandoned.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two opponents grapple at close quarters, alternately pulling each other in and wrenching away, until they come chest-to-chest and strike one another with their knees in a fierce clinch.