te—theyvai—indeedgade—the two clubsbhuja—of their armsjavena—by the rapid forcenipātyamāne—being powerfully swunganyonyataḥ—against one anotheraṁsa—their shoulderskaṭi—hipspāda—feetkara—handsūru—thighsjatrum—and collarbonescūrṇī—crushedbabhūvatuḥ—becameupetya—contactingyathā—asarka - śākhe—two branches of arka treessaṁyudhyatoḥ—fighting vigorouslydviradayoḥ—of a pair of elephantsiva—asdīpta—inflamedmanvyoḥ—whose anger .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
te vai gade bhuja-javena nipātyamāne
te
they
vai
indeed
gade
the two clubs
bhuja
of their arms
javena
by the rapid force
nipātyamāne
being powerfully swung
anyonyato ’ṁsa-kaṭi-pāda-karoru-jatrum
anyonyataḥ
against one another
cūrṇī-babhūvatur upetya yathārka-śākhe
saṁyudhyator dviradayor iva dīpta-manvyoḥ
aṁsa
their shoulders
kaṭi
hips
pāda
feet
kara
hands
ūru
thighs
jatrum
and collarbones
cūrṇī
crushed
babhūvatuḥ
became
upetya
contacting
yathā
as
arka - śākhe
two branches of arka trees
saṁyudhyatoḥ
fighting vigorously
dviradayoḥ
of a pair of elephants
iva
as
dīpta
inflamed
manvyoḥ
whose anger .
Important Words
bhuja-javena—by the rapid force of their arms
Compound instrumental. Bhuja — arm, java — speed. Mace-velocity is set by arm-strength; the verse measures the duel by arm-power alone.
arka-śākhe—two branches of arka trees
Compound nominative dual. Arka — the sun-plant, with brittle stems. Even mature warriors' maces shatter like arka branches on these two bodies.
dīpta-manvyoḥ—whose anger is inflamed
Compound genitive dual. Dīpta-manyu — kindled wrath. The fighters' anger does not cool; it sustains the duel past the breaking of weapons.
They swung their clubs at each other with such speed and force that as the clubs struck their shoulders, hips, feet, hands, thighs and collarbones, the weapons were crushed and broken like branches of arka trees with which two enraged elephants furiously attack each other.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
They swung their clubs at each other with such speed and force that as the clubs struck their shoulders, hips, feet, hands, thighs and collarbones, the weapons were crushed and broken like branches of arka trees with which two enraged elephants furiously attack each other.
Commentary
With their anger increasing (dipta manvoh), when the club contacted the opponent’s shoulder or waist, it broke into pieces.
Jīva Gosvāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
Though the compound consists of limbs of a living being, the lack of neuter (jatrum) is poetic license. Just as arka trees are crushed they weapons were crushed. The simile is an example of adbhutopama (a comparison causing wonder).
Śrīdhara Svāmī
Gauḍīya
Commentary
Two verses are in a longer meter as if to be sung. They describe the fight. Though they were hard as thunderbolts (vai), their clubs constantly (ni) fell and struck (upetya) each other’s various limbs. Not using neuter in jatrum is poetic license. Just as branches are crushed the weapons were crushed. This indicates they were insignificant for the fighters. The comparison is called adbhūtopamā. Or it expresses how they indescribably engaged other for fighting.
Related values & verses
Concepts
Jiva
Personal Guidance
Analogy
Two elephants in must attack each other with arka branches — and the branches snap on hide thick as armour. Bhīma and Jarāsandha attack each other with maces — and the maces snap on bodies hardened by years of yoga and combat. Both pairs of weapons are reduced to splinters; the bodies fight on.