परस्परसुसङ्घट्टकटुटङ्कारकङ्कटम् । वीरयोधमुखादग्धभीरुप्रेप्सितकोटरम् ॥ १४ ॥
parasparasusaṅghaṭṭakaṭuṭaṅkārakaṅkaṭam | vīrayōdhamukhādagdhabhīruprēpsitakōṭaram || 14 ||
Translation
its armour clashing with a harsh twang as man pressed on man; its cowards, as if scorched by the faces of the heroic warriors, longing for hollows to hide in;
Word by word
- paraspara
- man on man
- susaṅghaṭṭa
- as pressed
- kaṭu
- harsh
- ṭaṅkāra
- with a twang
- kaṅkaṭam
- its armour clashing
- vīra
- heroic
- yōdha
- of the warriors
- mukhād
- (mukhāt) by the faces
- dagdha
- scorched
- bhīru
- its cowards
- prēpsita
- longing for
- kōṭaram
- hollows
Meaning
The front ranks are so close that their armour grates. And the cowards: the fierce faces of the heroes burn them like fire, and they look about for holes in the hills to hide in. Another commentary: as if burnt by the fire of the warriors' angry faces, the timid longed for mountain caves.