Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.56.23
ద్వన్ద్వయుద్ధం సుతుములముభయోర్విజిగీషతో: ।
ఆయుధాశ్మద్రుమైర్దోర్భి: క్రవ్యార్థే శ్యేనయోరివ ॥ ౨౩ ॥
dvandva-yuddhaṁ su-tumulam
[dvandva-yuddham su-tumulam]
ubhayor vijigīṣatoḥ
[ubhayor vijigeeshatoh]
āyudhāśma-drumair dorbhiḥ
[aayudhaashma-drumair dorbhih]
kravyārthe śyenayor iva
[kravyaarthe shyenayor iva]
Word-for-word
dvandva
—
paired
yuddham
—
the fight
su - tumulam
—
very furious
ubhayoḥ
—
between the two of them
vijigīṣatoḥ
—
who both were striving to win
āyudha
—
with weapons
aśma
—
stones
drumaiḥ
—
and trees
dorbhiḥ
—
with their arms
kravya
—
carrion
arthe
—
for the sake
śyenayoḥ
—
between two hawks
iva
—
as if .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
dvandva-yuddhaṁ su-tumulam
dvandva
paired
yuddham
the fight
su - tumulam
very furious
ubhayor vijigīṣatoḥ
ubhayoḥ
between the two of them
vijigīṣatoḥ
who both were striving to win
āyudhāśma-drumair dorbhiḥ
āyudha
with weapons
aśma
stones
drumaiḥ
and trees
dorbhiḥ
with their arms
kravyārthe śyenayor iva
kravya
carrion
arthe
for the sake
śyenayoḥ
between two hawks
iva
as if .
Important Words
-
dvandva-yuddham
—
single combat
Compound: dvandva (pair, duality) + yuddham (fight). The same word dvandva names the dualities of saṁsāra (heat/cold, pleasure/pain) in the Gītā. Jāmbavān's combat is the bodily form of all dvandva — and Kṛṣṇa is on the other side of every pair.
-
vijigīṣatoḥ
—
of the two desiring to win
Desiderative dual genitive of √ji. Both want to win; only one can — and the loser will discover that losing to Kṛṣṇa is the only true victory. Gauḍīya doctrine: parājaya before Bhagavān is the highest jaya.
-
śyenayoḥ iva
—
like two hawks
Dual of śyena (hawk) + iva (like). Hawks fighting over kravya (carrion) — the Bhāgavatam's mock-heroic frame for the conflict. The cosmic struggle has the dignity, and the absurdity, of a roadside scrap.
The two fought furiously in single combat, each determined to win. Contending against each other with various weapons and then with stones, tree trunks and finally their bare arms, they struggled like two hawks battling over a piece of flesh.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
The two fought furiously in single combat, each determined to win. Contending against each other with various weapons and then with stones, tree trunks and finally their bare arms, they struggled like two hawks battling over a piece of flesh.
Commentary
They fought like two hawks fighting for flesh.
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
Two verses go together. The fight lasted for twenty-eight days (verb in next verse). The fighting was intense (sutumulam), without cessation of attack because each desired strongly to win, the Lord out of excitement of pastimes and Jāmbavān out of pride in his great strength. They used each of their two arms.
Related values & verses
Concepts
Jiva
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Analogy
Two hawks fighting over a piece of meat — the Bhāgavata's chosen image for Bhagavān and devotee locked in misrecognized combat. Even this fight is recorded with a smile, because Kṛṣṇa Himself supplied the simile.
My note
Source: vedabase.io