अन्योन्यस्य हयान् हत्वा धनुषी विनिकृत्य च ॥
विरथाव् असियुद्धाय समेयातां महारणे ॥
आर्षभे चर्मणी चित्रे प्रगृह्य विपुले शुभे ॥
विकोशौ चाप्य् असी कृत्वा समरे तौ विचेरतुः ॥
चरन्तौ विविधान् मार्गान् मण्डलानि च भागशः ॥
मुहुर् आजघ्नतुः क्रुद्धाव् अन्योन्यम् अरिमर्दनौ ॥
anyonyasya hayān hatvā dhanuṣī vinikṛtya ca ||
virathāv asiyuddhāya sameyātāṃ mahāraṇe ||
ārṣabhe carmaṇī citre pragṛhya vipule śubhe ||
vikośau cāpy asī kṛtvā samare tau viceratuḥ ||
carantau vividhān mārgān maṇḍalāni ca bhāgaśaḥ ||
muhur ājaghnatuḥ kruddhāv anyonyam arimardanau ||
Having slain each other's horses and cut apart their bows, chariotless, they came together in a great battle for a sword-fight. Having taken up two wondrous, broad, beautiful shields of bull-hide and bared their swords, those two darted about in battle. Passing through various maneuvers and circles, in parts, the crushers of foes, enraged, again and again struck each other.
7e422d4ac9b9 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:25:13 PM UTC
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Stripped of horses and bows, the fighters do not retreat but take up their swords: valor does not depend on the kind of weapon. It is telling that the fight moves from distant to close, ever tighter: a true contest goes to the very limit. The verse teaches that courage is tested by a change of circumstance; and one who, deprived of chariot and bow, takes up sword and shield shows that his strength lies in spirit, not in equipment.