Adhyaya 32

Verse 1

न२्चक्स्स्त्तािस्सि (9) £:-.१/०्ट द्वात्रिशोड्थ्याय: युधिष्ठिरके कहनेसे दुर्योधनका तालाबसे बाहर होकर किसी एक पाण्डवके साथ गदायुद्धके लिये तैयार होना धृतराष्ट्र रवाच एवं संतर्ज्यमानस्तु मम पुत्रो महीपति: । प्रकृत्या मन्युमान्‌ वीर: कथमासीत्‌ परंतप:

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Sañjaya, when my son—the king—was thus rebuked and provoked, how did that heroic Duryodhana, a man naturally prone to anger and a scorcher of foes, react? What state of mind did he fall into after Yudhiṣṭhira’s sharp words?”

Verse 2

न हि संतर्जना तेन श्रुतपूर्वा कथठ्चन । राजभावेन मान्यश्व सर्वलोकस्य सो5भवत्‌,उसने पहले कभी किसी तरह ऐसी फटकार नहीं सुनी थी; क्योंकि राजा होनेके कारण वह सब लोगोंके सम्मानका पात्र था

He had never before heard such a rebuke in any manner; for, by virtue of his royal station, he had been one whom all people regarded as worthy of honor. The line underscores how status and public reverence can make a sharp reprimand feel unprecedented—and ethically weighty—when it finally comes.

Verse 3

यस्यातपत्रच्छायापि स्वका भानोस्तथा प्रभा । खेदायैवाभिमानित्वात्‌ सहेत्‌ सैवं कथं गिर:

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “For one whose very parasol’s shade is as radiant as the sun’s own light—yet who, through pride, turns that splendour into a cause of distress—how could such a person endure words like these?”

Verse 4

अभिमानी होनेके कारण जिसके मनमें अपने छत्रकी छाया और सूर्यकी प्रभा भी खेद ही उत्पन्न करती थी, वह ऐसी कठोर बातें कैसे सह सकता था? ।।

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “And this entire earth—crowded with Mlecchas and forest-dwelling tribes—was sustained and kept in order by the favor of the one whose power you yourself witnessed, Saṃjaya. How could a man so proud, to whom even the shade of his own royal parasol and the brilliance of the sun felt burdensome, endure such harsh words?”

Verse 5

स तथा तर्ज्यमानस्तु पाण्डुपुत्रैर्विशेषत: । विहीनश् स्वकैर्भुत्यर्निर्जने चावृतो भूशम्‌

Thus, being sharply rebuked—especially by the sons of Pāṇḍu—he found himself bereft of his own attendants and hemmed in on all sides in a lonely place. The verse underscores the moral isolation that follows when one’s support collapses under the weight of censure and loss of standing.

Verse 6

स श्रुत्वा कटुका वाचो जययुक्ता: पुनः पुनः । किमब्रवीत्‌ पाण्डवेयांस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व संजय

Having heard those harsh words—again and again—laden with boasts of victory, Yudhiṣṭhira asks: “What did he say to the sons of Pāṇḍu? Tell me that, Sañjaya.” The question reflects a moral unease: triumphal speech in war wounds not only bodies but also dignity, and Yudhiṣṭhira seeks an exact account before judging or responding.

Verse 7

इस समय वह अपने सेवकोंसे हीन हो चुका था और एकान्त स्थानमें घिर गया था। उस दशामें विशेषत: पाण्डवोंने जब उसे वैसी कड़ी फटकार सुनायी, तब शत्रुओंके विजयसे युक्त उन कटुवचनोंको बारंबार सुनकर दुर्योधनने पाण्डवोंसे क्या कहा? यह मुझे बताओ ।।

Sanjaya said: O King, at that time your son, standing in the water, was being sharply rebuked. O lord of kings, he was censured by Yudhihira together with his brothers. (Hearing those bitter, victory-claiming words again and again, Duryodhana was driven to respondwhat did he say to the P
01avas?)

Verse 8

श्रुत्वा स कटुका वाचो विषमस्थो नराधिप: । दीर्घमुष्णं च नि:श्वस्य सलिलस्थ: पुन: पुन:

Sañjaya said: Hearing those harsh words, the king—caught in a perilous predicament—heaved long, hot sighs again and again, as though submerged in water, overwhelmed and struggling to steady himself.

Verse 9

सलिलान्तर्गतो राजा धुन्वन्‌ हस्तौ पुनः पुन: । मनश्लकार युद्धाय राजानं चाभ्यभाषत

Sañjaya said: The king, immersed in the water, repeatedly shook his hands, steeling his mind for battle; and he addressed the other king as well—summoning him toward the fight with renewed resolve.

Verse 10

संजयने कहा--राजाधिराज! राजन! उस समय भाइयोंसहित युधिष्ठिरने जब इस प्रकार फटकारा

Sanjaya said: O emperor, O king! When Yudhishthira, together with his brothers, rebuked him in this manner, your son, standing in the water, heard those harsh words and let out long, heated breaths again and again. Placed in a dire predicament and remaining within the water, he repeatedly drew deep sighs. Still submerged, he waved both hands many times, resolved inwardly upon battle, and then spoke to King Yudhishthira: “You Pandavas have come with your well-wishing allies, all furnished with chariots and mounts; I alone am worn down, without a chariot, my conveyance destroyed.”

Verse 11

आत्तशस्त्रै रथोपेतैर्बहुभि: परिवारित: । कथमेकः पदातिः सन्नशस्त्रो योद्धुमुत्सहे

Verse 12

एकैकेन तु मां यूयं योधयध्वं युधिष्ठिर । न होको बहुभिववीरिर्याय्यो योधयितुं युधि

Sañjaya said: “O Yudhiṣṭhira, let each of you fight with me one by one. It is not just that a single warrior should be compelled to battle against many heroes at once in the midst of war.”

Verse 13

विशेषतो विकवच: श्रान्तश्षापत्समाश्रित: । भृशं विक्षतगात्रश्न श्रानन्‍्लवाहनसैनिक:

Verse 14

न मे त्वत्तो भयं राजन्‌ न च पार्थाद्‌ वकोदरात्‌ । फाल्गुनाद्‌ वासुदेवाद्‌ वा पञज्चालेभ्यो5थवा पुन:

Sañjaya said: “O King, I have no fear of you, nor of Pārtha’s son Vṛkodara (Bhīma); nor of Phālguna (Arjuna), nor of Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa), nor again of the Pañcālas.” In ethical and narrative terms, the verse voices a warrior’s defiant confidence and contempt for opposing prowess—an attitude that, in the Mahābhārata’s war setting, often signals the peril of pride (mada) and misjudgment (moha) amid the demands of kṣatriya-dharma.

Verse 15

यमाभ्यां युयुधानाद्‌ वा ये चान्ये तव सैनिका: । एक: सर्वानहं क्रुद्धो वारयिष्ये युधि स्थित:

Sañjaya said: “Whether it be the twin sons of Mādrī, or Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki), or any other warriors of your host—standing firm in battle, inflamed with wrath, I alone shall hold them all back.”

Verse 16

धर्ममूला सतां कीर्तिर्मिनुष्याणां जनाधिप । धर्म चैवेह कीर्ति च पालयन्‌ प्रबवीम्पहम्‌

Sañjaya said: “O lord of men, the good among mankind have their fame rooted in dharma. It is while upholding dharma and safeguarding one’s good name here in this world that I speak these words.”

Verse 17

अहमुत्थाय सर्वान्‌ वै प्रतियोत्स्यामि संयुगे । अनुगम्यागतान्‌ सवनितून्‌ संवत्सरो यथा

Sañjaya said: “Rising up, I shall confront all of you in battle—each as you come forward in turn—just as the year, in due sequence, takes up and encompasses the seasons as they arrive.” The statement frames combat as orderly and inevitable, emphasizing resolve and the inexorable rhythm of time amid the ethics of war.

Verse 18

अद्य वः सरथान्‌ साथ्वानशस्त्रो विरथोडपि सन्‌ | नक्षत्राणीव सर्वाणि सविता रात्रिसंक्षये

Sañjaya said: “Today, even if you are without chariots, even if you are without weapons, even if you stand as mere foot-soldiers, you will nevertheless outshine and eclipse them all—just as the sun, at the end of night, makes the stars fade away.”

Verse 19

अद्यानण्यं गमिष्यामि क्षत्रियाणां यशस्विनाम्‌

Sañjaya said: “Today I shall go to the other world, having repaid my debt to those illustrious kṣatriyas.” Having spoken only this much, the lord of men fell silent. (In context, Duryodhana frames his resolve to kill and be killed as a ‘repayment’ to revered warriors and kin—revealing the war-ethic of obligation and honor, even as it tragically narrows dharma to vengeance and debt.)

Verse 20

बाह्लीकद्रोणभीष्माणां कर्णस्य च महात्मन: । जयद्रथस्य शूरस्य भगदत्तस्य चोभयो:

Sañjaya said: “(He spoke) of Bāhlīka, Droṇa, and Bhīṣma; of the great-souled Karṇa; of the heroic Jayadratha; and of Bhagadatta—of both sides’ foremost warriors.”

Verse 21

मद्रराजस्य शल्यस्य भूरिश्रवस एव च | पुत्राणां भरतश्रेष्ठ शकुने: सौबलस्य च

Sanjaya said: “O best of the Bharatas, (I shall speak) of the sons of Shalya, the king of Madra, and also of Bhurishravas, and of the sons of Shakuni, the son of Subala.”

Verse 22

मित्राणां सुह्ृदां चैव बान्धवानां तथैव च । आनृण्यमद्य गच्छामि हत्वा त्वां भ्रातृभि: सह

Sañjaya said: “Today I shall be free of my debt to my friends, well-wishers, and kinsmen—by slaying you together with your brothers.”

Verse 23

युधिछिर उवाच दिष्ट्या त्वमपि जानीषे क्षत्रधर्म सुयोधन

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “It is fortunate that you too understand the dharma of a kṣatriya, O Suyodhana.”

Verse 24

दिष्ट्या ते वर्तते बुद्धिर्युद्धायैव महाभुज । दिष्ट्या शूरोडसि कौरव्य दिष्ट्या जानासि संगरम्‌

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “It is fortunate that your resolve is set wholly upon battle, O mighty-armed one. Fortunate indeed that you are a hero, O Kaurava; fortunate that you understand the nature of combat.”

Verse 25

युधिष्ठिर बोले--सुयोधन! सौभाग्यकी बात है कि तुम भी क्षत्रिय-धर्मको जानते हो। महाबाहो! यह जानकर प्रसन्नता हुई कि अभी तुम्हारा विचार युद्ध करनेका ही है। कुरुनन्दन! तुम शूरवीर हो और युद्ध करना जानते हो--यह हर्ष और सौभाग्यकी बात है ।।

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Since you, though alone, wish to fight all of us in battle, then meet us one by one—choose whatever weapon you deem acceptable. Your resolve shows knowledge of kṣatriya-duty: courage, readiness for combat, and acceptance of a fair contest even amid enmity.”

Verse 26

स्वयमिष्टं च ते काम॑ वीर भूयो ददाम्यहम्‌

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “And, O hero, I grant you once again the very boon you yourself desire.”

Verse 27

दुर्योधन उवाच एकश्चेद्‌ योद्धुमाक्रन्दे शूरोडद्य मम दीयताम्‌

Duryodhana said: “If there is even one hero who will fight in this battle-crying fray, let him be granted to me today.”

Verse 28

हन्तैक॑ भवतामेक: शक्‍यं मां योडभिमन्यते

Duryodhana said: “Come then—let just one among you, whoever thinks he is able, step forward to face me.” In the heat of battle, he challenges the opposing warriors to single combat, projecting confidence and defiance as a test of strength and honor amid the collapsing restraints of war.

Verse 29

पदातिर्गदया संख्ये स युध्यतु मया सह | मैं हर्षक साथ कह रहा हूँ कि 'तुममेंसे कोई भी एक वीर जो मुझ अकेलेको जीत सकनेका अभिमान रखता हो, वह रणभूमिमें पैदल ही गदाद्वारा मेरे साथ युद्ध करे' ।।

Duryodhana said: “Let him fight with me in battle—on foot, with a mace. I declare this with confidence: whichever hero among you prides himself on being able to defeat me alone, let him come onto the battlefield and engage me, fighting on foot with the mace. The chariot-duels have run their course; at every step the contest has taken strange turns.”

Verse 30

|| अस्त्राणामपि पर्यायं कर्तुमिच्छन्ति मानवा:

Duryodhana said: “Even with weapons, men seek a change of turn—wanting to shift the course and regain advantage.” In the ethical shadow of war, the line hints at the restless human impulse to reverse fortune by any means, rather than accept responsibility and consequence.

Verse 31

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत शल्यपर्वके अन्तर्गत गदापवरमें दुर्योधन-युधिष्ठिरसंवादविषयक इकतीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Duryodhana declares to Yudhiṣṭhira, with the swagger of a warrior intoxicated by pride: “O mighty-armed one, with my mace I will defeat you together with your brothers. With this mace I will also overcome the Pāñcālas, the Sṛñjayas, and all the other troops who stand with you. Yudhiṣṭhira, I never feel fear—even of Indra.” The speech frames the duel not as a measured contest of dharma but as a boastful assertion of dominance, revealing how arrogance and contempt for rightful restraint drive the final violence of the war.

Verse 32

पज्चालान्‌ सृञ्जयांश्वैव चे चान्ये तव सैनिका: । न हि मे सम्भ्रमो जातु शक्रादपि युधिष्ठिर

Duryodhana said: “The Pāñcālas, the Sṛñjayas, and whatever other troops are yours—I shall defeat them all, along with you and your brothers, by my mace. O Yudhiṣṭhira, mighty-armed, I never feel fear—no, not even of Śakra (Indra) himself.”

Verse 33

युधिछ्िर उवाच उत्तिषोत्तिष्ठ गान्धारे मां योधय सुयोधन । एक एकेन संगम्य संयुगे गदया बली

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Rise, rise, O son of Gāndhārī—O Suyodhana! Come and fight with me. You are indeed strong; therefore, in this battle, meet a single hero face to face and prove your manhood with the mace. Engage with a focused mind.”

Verse 34

पुरुषो भव गान्धारे युध्यस्व सुसमाहित: । अद्य ते जीवितं नास्ति यदीन्द्रोडपि तवाश्रयः

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Be a man, O son of Gāndhārī; fight with steady, collected mind. Today your life will not be spared—even if Indra himself were to become your protector.” In this challenge, Yudhiṣṭhira frames the duel as a test of kṣatriya honor and accountability: the opponent is urged to stand forth and meet death or victory openly, without evasion, as the ethical demand of war at its climactic end.

Verse 35

संजय उवाच एतत्‌ स नरशार्दूलो नामृष्यत तवात्मज: । सलिलान्तर्गतः श्वभ्रे महानाग इव श्वसन्‌

Sanjaya said: O King, your son Duryodhana, that tiger among men, could not endure these words. Hidden within the water in his pit, he drew long, heavy breaths like a great serpent in its lair—seething inwardly, restrained for the moment, yet burning with wounded pride and anger.

Verse 36

तथासौ वाक्प्रतोदेन तुद्यमान: पुनः पुनः । वचो न ममृषे राजन्नुत्तमाश्वचः कशामिव

Sañjaya said: Thus, goaded again and again by the whip of words, he could not endure that speech, O King—just as a fine horse cannot bear the lash. The verse underscores how sharp, truth-bearing rebuke can pierce pride more painfully than physical blows, and how wounded honor in the midst of war drives rash, adharma-leaning reactions.

Verse 37

संक्षो भ्य सलिलं वेगाद्‌ गदामादाय वीर्यवान्‌ | अद्विसारमयीं गुर्वीं काड्चनाड्रद भूषणाम्‌

Sañjaya said: With a sudden rush he churned the waters, and the mighty warrior seized his mace—heavy, fashioned of unyielding metal, and adorned with golden armlets—readying himself for the grim work of battle.

Verse 38

स भिवत्त्वा स्तम्भितं तोयं स्कन्‍्धे कृत्वा5ड5यसीं गदाम्‌

Sañjaya said: Having saluted, he steadied himself, and—placing the iron mace upon his shoulder—moved forward with controlled resolve. The moment underscores the warrior’s discipline: even amid violence, action is framed by ritual respect and self-mastery.

Verse 39

ततः शैक्यायसीं गुर्वी जातरूपपरिष्कृताम्‌

Sañjaya said: Then there appeared a heavy weapon of iron, carefully fashioned and adorned with gold—an image of war’s grim craftsmanship, where destructive power is made splendid in outward form.

Verse 40

गदाहस्तं तु तं दृष्टवा सशृुदड्भमिव पर्वतम्‌

Sañjaya said: Seeing him with a mace in hand—like a mountain crowned with peaks—the warriors beheld a figure of formidable, unshakable might, emblematic of the war’s brutal escalation where strength and resolve dominate the moment.

Verse 41

प्रजानामिव संक़्रुद्धं शूलपाणिमिव स्थितम्‌ । हाथमें गदा लिये हुए दुर्योधनको पाण्डवोंने इस प्रकार देखा, मानो कोई शुंगयुक्त पर्वत हो अथवा प्रजापर कुपित होकर हाथमें त्रिशूल लिये हुए रुद्रदेव खड़े हों ।।

Sañjaya said: The Pāṇḍavas beheld Duryodhana standing with mace in hand—like Rudra himself, angered on behalf of creatures, poised with the trident; like a horned mountain risen before them. That Bharata hero, bearing the mace, shone like the blazing sun. Seeing the mighty-armed Duryodhana emerge from the water with his weapon, all beings felt as though Yama, the wielder of punishment, had manifested—an omen of relentless destruction in the moral darkness of war.

Verse 42

तमुत्तीर्ण महाबाहुं गदाहस्तमरिंदमम्‌ | मेनिरे सर्वभूतानि दण्डपाणिमिवान्तकम्‌

Sañjaya said: When the mighty-armed hero emerged (from the water), mace in hand, a crusher of foes, all beings took him to be like Yama, the Lord of Death, appearing with his staff in hand. The scene heightens the moral tension of the war: a single warrior’s wrath and resolve can cast a shadow of dread over the world, as violence assumes the awe-inspiring form of cosmic retribution.

Verse 43

वज्हस्तं यथा शक्रं शूलहस्तं यथा हरम्‌ । ददृशु: सर्वपञ्चाला: पुत्रं तव जनाधिप,नरेश्वर! सम्पूर्ण पांचालोंने आपके पुत्रको वज्रधारी इन्द्र और त्रिशूलधारी रुद्रके समान देखा

Sañjaya said: “O lord of men, O king— all the Pañcālas beheld your son as if he were Śakra (Indra) bearing the thunderbolt, and as if he were Hara (Rudra/Śiva) bearing the trident.” The verse heightens the battlefield vision of irresistible might, framing the prince’s prowess in divine imagery that both inspires awe and underscores the grave moral weight of war’s destructive power.

Verse 44

तमुत्तीर्ण तु सम्प्रेक्ष्य समहृष्यन्त सर्वश: । पज्चाला: पाण्डवेयाश्व तेडन्योन्यस्य तलान्‌ ददुः,उसे जलसे बाहर निकला देख समस्त पांचाल और पाण्डव हर्षसे खिल उठे और एक- दूसरेसे हाथ मिलाने लगे

Sañjaya said: Seeing him come out (safely), all the Pāñcālas and the sons of the Pāṇḍavas were filled with joy; they congratulated one another, clasping hands in mutual celebration.

Verse 45

अवहासं तु त॑ मत्वा पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव । उद्वृत्य नयने क्रुद्धों दिधक्षुरिव पाण्डवान्‌

Sañjaya said: Taking that gesture to be a mockery, your son Duryodhana—angered—rolled his eyes and fixed his gaze upon the Pāṇḍavas, O King, as though he wished to burn them to ashes. The verse highlights how pride and suspicion distort perception, turning even ordinary conduct into an occasion for wrath and further enmity.

Verse 46

त्रिशिखां भ्रुकुटीं कृत्वा संदष्टदशनच्छद: । प्रत्युवाच ततस्तान्‌ वै पाण्डवान्‌ सह केशवान्‌,उसने अपनी भौंहोंको तीन जगहसे टेढ़ी करके दाँतोंसे ओठको दबाया और श्रीकृष्णसहित पाण्डवोंसे इस प्रकार कहा

Sañjaya said: Having drawn his brows into a threefold frown and biting down upon his lips with clenched teeth, he then replied to the Pāṇḍavas—Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) being with them. The gesture signals restrained fury and inner resolve, a moment where emotion is held in check before speech, reflecting the tense moral atmosphere of war where words can harden intent or open a path to restraint.

Verse 47

दुर्योधन उवाच अस्यावहासस्य फल प्रतिभोक्ष्यथ पाण्डवा: । गमिष्यथ हता: सद्यः: सपञ्चाला यमक्षयम्‌

Duryodhana said: “Pāṇḍavas, you shall now reap the fruit of this mockery. Slain at once, you—together with the Pañcālas—will go to the abode of Yama.”

Verse 48

संजय उवाच उत्थितश्न जलात्‌ तस्मात्‌ पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव । अतिष्ठत गदापाणी रुधिरेण समुक्षित:,संजय कहते हैं--राजन्‌! आपका पुत्र दुर्योधन उस जलसे निकलकर हाथमें गदा लिये खड़ा हो गया। वह रक्तसे भीगा हुआ था

Sanjaya said: O King, your son Duryodhana, having risen and bathed in that water, came out and stood firm with his mace in hand. He was drenched in blood—yet poised to continue the struggle, embodying the grim resolve and moral blindness that war can harden into.

Verse 49

तस्य शोणितदिग्धस्य सलिलेन समुक्षितम्‌ शरीरं सम तदा भाति ख्रवन्निव मही धर:,उस समय खूनसे लथपथ हुए दुर्योधनका शरीर पानीसे भीगकर जलका स्रोत बहानेवाले पर्वतके समान प्रतीत होता था

Sañjaya said: At that time, Duryodhana’s body—smeared with blood and then drenched with water—appeared like a mountain from which streams are flowing. The image underscores the stark, impersonal reality of war: even a mighty king, driven by pride and adharma, is reduced to a wounded body, and nature-like imagery frames the battlefield’s moral consequence as something vast and unavoidable.

Verse 50

तमुद्यतगदं वीर मेनिरे तत्र पाण्डवा: | वैवस्वतमिव क्ुद्धं शूलपाणिमिव स्थितम्‌

Sañjaya said: There, the Pāṇḍavas regarded the heroic Duryodhana—his mace raised aloft—as though he were Yama, the son of Vivasvān, enraged, or Rudra himself standing with the trident in hand. The comparison underscores how, in the heat of war, a single warrior’s posture can embody the dread of cosmic retribution and the destructive force of wrath.

Verse 51

स मेघनिनदो हर्षन्नर्दन्निव च गोवृष: । आजुहाव ततः: पार्थान्‌ गदया युधि वीर्यवान्‌

Sañjaya said: Rejoicing, that mighty warrior bellowed like a bull, his roar deep as thunderclouds, and then he challenged the Pāṇḍava princes to meet him in battle with the mace. The scene underscores how martial pride and the thirst for single-combat glory intensify the violence of war, even as each side seeks honor within the harsh code of kṣatriya duty.

Verse 52

दुर्योधन उवाच एकैकेन च मां यूयामासीदत युधिष्छिर । न होको बहुभिन्याय्यो वीरो योधयितुं युधि

Verse 53

न्यस्तवर्मा विशेषेण श्रान्तश्नाप्सु परिप्लुत: । भृशं विक्षतगात्रश्न हतवाहनसैनिक:

Duryodhana said: “It is by no means proper to force into combat—especially as part of a group—one who has laid aside his armour, who is exhausted and immersed in water to recover, whose limbs are grievously wounded, and whose chariot (or mount) and soldiers have been slain.”

Verse 54

अवश्यमेव योद्धव्यं सर्वरेव मया सह । युक्त त्वयुक्तमित्येतद्‌ वेत्सि त्वं चैव सर्वदा

Duryodhana said: “I must fight—inevitably—with all of you at my side. Yet what is proper and what is improper in this matter—you always know that clearly.”

Verse 55

युधिछिर उवाच मा भूदियं तव प्रज्ञा कथमेवं सुयोधन । यदाभिमन्युं बहवो जघ्नुर्युधि महारथा:

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Let not such ‘wisdom’ be yours—how can you speak like this, O Suyodhana? When many great chariot-warriors together struck down Abhimanyu in battle, why did this same thought not arise in you then?”

Verse 56

क्षत्रधर्म भृशं क्रूरं निरपेक्षं सुनिर्धणम्‌ । अन्यथा तु कथं हन्युरभिमन्युं तथा गतम्‌

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “The kṣatriya’s code is exceedingly harsh—pitiless, indifferent to pleas, and utterly bereft of compassion. Otherwise, how could they have slain Abhimanyu when he was in such a condition?”

Verse 57

सर्वे भवन्तो धर्मज्ञा: सर्वे शूरास्तनुत्यज: । वास्तवमें क्षत्रियधर्म बड़ा ही क्रूर, किसीकी भी अपेक्षा न रखनेवाला तथा अत्यन्त निर्दय है; अन्यथा तुम सब लोग धर्मज्ञ, शूरवीर तथा युद्धमें शरीरका विसर्जन करनेको उद्यत रहनेवाले होकर भी उस असहाय-अवस्थामें अभिमन्युका वध कैसे कर सकते थे ।।

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “All of you are knowers of dharma; all of you are heroes, ready to give up your bodies in battle. Yet in truth the kṣatriya’s code is terribly cruel—owing nothing to anyone and pitiless in its demands. Otherwise, how could you—dharma-knowing and valorous as you are, ever prepared to lay down your lives—have slain Abhimanyu when he was in a helpless condition? For those who fight by justice, the highest destiny is said to be the world of Śakra (Indra).”

Verse 58

यद्येकस्तु न हन्तव्यो बहुभिर्धर्म एव तु । तदाभिमन्युं बहवो निजघ्नुस्त्वन्मते कथम्‌

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “If it is indeed dharma that many should not strike down a single warrior, then how—by your own judgment—did many fighters together slay Abhimanyu? You speak of the highest attainment, Indra’s world, for heroes who fight justly; yet this deed appears to violate the very rule of fair combat.”

Verse 59

सर्वो विमृशते जन्तुः कृच्छुस्थो धर्मदर्शनम्‌ । पदस्थ: पिद्ठितं द्वारं परलोकस्य पश्यति

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Every creature, when fallen into distress, reflects upon and appeals to the vision of dharma for protection. But when established in power and position, one sees the gate to the next world as though shut—forgetting the claims of righteousness until crisis returns.”

Verse 60

आमुज्च कवचं वीर मूर्थजान्‌ यमयस्व च । यच्चान्यदपि ते नास्ति तदप्यादत्स्व भारत

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Remove your armor, O hero, and restrain your hair as well. And whatever else you do not have—take that too, O Bhārata.” In the grim economy of war, the words carry a bitter, ethical edge: even a warrior’s last protections and personal dignity are being demanded, underscoring how conflict can press beyond rightful need into stripping a person of what remains.

Verse 61

वीर भरतनन्दन! तुम कवच धारण कर लो, अपने केशोंको अच्छी तरह बाँध लो तथा युद्धकी और कोई आवश्यक सामग्री जो तुम्हारे पास न हो, उसे भी ले लो ।।

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O hero, joy of the Bharata line, put on your armor; bind your hair firmly; and take whatever other necessities of battle you may still lack. And I grant you one further boon, O warrior: among the five sons of Pāṇḍu, whichever one you wish to fight—if you slay that one alone, you may become king; but if you yourself are slain, you will attain the world of heaven. Tell me, valiant one—apart from safeguarding your life, what other cherished service can we render you in this war?”

Verse 62

त॑ हत्वा वै भवान्‌ राजा हतो वा स्वर्गमाप्रुहि । ऋते च जीवितादू वीर युद्धे कि कर्म ते प्रियम्‌

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “If you slay that one, you may become king; or, if you are slain, you will attain heaven. O hero, apart from the safeguarding of life, what other deed in this battle is dear to you for us to accomplish?”

Verse 63

संजय उवाच ततस्तव सुतो राजन्‌ वर्म जग्राह काउ्चनम्‌ | विचित्र च शिरस्त्राणं जाम्बूनदपरिष्कृतम्‌,संजय कहते हैं--राजन्‌! तदनन्तर आपके पुत्रने सुवर्णमय कवच तथा स्वर्णजटित विचित्र शिरस्त्राण धारण किया

Sanjaya said: Then, O King, your son donned a golden cuirass, and also a wondrous helmet, richly adorned with refined Jāmbūnada-gold. The narration underscores the deliberate preparation for battle—outward splendor and protection being readied for an inward resolve to face the consequences of war.

Verse 64

सो<वबद्धशिरस्त्राण: शुभकाञ्चनवर्म भृत्‌ । रराज राजन पुत्रस्ते काउ्चन: शैलराडिव,महाराज! शिरस्त्राण बाँधकर सुन्दर सुवर्णमय कवच धारण करके आपका पुत्र स्वर्णमय गिरिराज मेरुके समान शोभा पाने लगा

Sañjaya said: “O King, your son—his helmet firmly fastened and wearing a splendid golden cuirass—shone forth like a golden lord of mountains.” The verse heightens the battlefield portrait by stressing royal splendor and martial readiness, a reminder that outward brilliance and armor, though signs of power and status, stand within the larger moral tension of war where fate and dharma will still prevail.

Verse 65

संनद्ध: सगदो राजन्‌ सज्ज: संग्राममूर्धनि । अब्रवीत्‌ पाण्डवान्‌ सर्वान्‌ पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव

Sañjaya said: “O King, your son Duryodhana—armoured, mace in hand, and fully prepared at the very forefront of battle—addressed all the Pāṇḍavas.” The verse underscores the deliberate resolve with which Duryodhana steps into violence, presenting war not as accident but as chosen confrontation, thereby sharpening the ethical tension between duty, pride, and the consequences of ambition.

Verse 66

भ्रातृणां भवतामेको युध्यतां गदया मया । सहदेवेन वा योत्स्ये भीमेन नकुलेन वा

Sañjaya said: “Let any one among your brothers come forth to fight me with the mace. I am ready to engage—whether it be Sahadeva, or Bhīma, or Nakula.” In the charged ethics of single combat, the speaker issues a pointed challenge that both tests valor and seeks to shape the battle into a controlled duel rather than indiscriminate slaughter.

Verse 67

योत्स्ये5हं संगरं प्राप्प विजेष्ये च रणाजिरे

Sanjaya said: “Having reached the battlefield, I shall fight in this clash and I shall win in the press of war. On the field of battle I will engage one of you, and I am confident of victory in the arena of combat. O lion among men, today with my mace adorned with golden plates I shall cross beyond enmity—into that realm which is exceedingly hard for anyone to reach.”

Verse 68

अहमटद्य गमिष्यामि वैरस्यान्तं सुदुर्गमम्‌ । गदया पुरुषव्याप्र हेमपट्टनिबद्धया

Sañjaya said: “Today I shall go to the hard-to-reach end of this enmity. O tiger among men, with my mace—bound with golden bands—I will cross beyond the far shore of this feud.”

Verse 69

गदायुद्धे न मे कश्चित्‌ सदृशो5स्तीति चिन्तये । गदया वो हनिष्यामि सर्वानेव समागतान्‌

Sañjaya said: “I keep firmly in mind that in combat with the mace there is no one equal to me. When you come before me, I will strike you down—all of you who have assembled here—with my mace.”

Verse 70

न मे समर्था: सर्वे वै योद्धुं न्‍्यायेन केचन । न युक्तमात्मना वक्तुमेवं गर्वोद्धतं वच: । अथवा सफल होतत्‌ करिष्ये भवतां पुर:

Sañjaya said: “Not all of you—indeed, not even any one among you—has the strength to fight me in a fair contest. It is not proper for me to speak about myself in such a boastful, pride-inflamed way; yet the words have been spoken. Or rather, what need is there of speaking at all? Before your very eyes I shall make this claim come true.”

Verse 71

अस्मिन्‌ मुहुर्ते सत्यं वा मिथ्या वै तद्‌ भविष्यति । गृह्नातु च गदां यो वै योत्स्यतेडद्य मया सह

Sañjaya said: “In this very moment it will become clear whether my statement is true or false. Let whoever is ready to fight with me today take up the mace.” The utterance frames combat as an immediate test of truthfulness and resolve, where words are to be verified by action on the battlefield.

Verse 183

तेजसा नाशयिष्यामि स्थिरीभवत पाण्डवा: । 'पाण्डवो! स्थिर होकर खड़े रहो। आज मैं अस्त्र-शस्त्र एवं रथसे हीन होकर भी घोड़ों और रथोंपर चढ़कर आये हुए तुम सब लोगोंको उसी तरह अपने तेजसे नष्ट कर दूँगा

Sañjaya said: “Stand firm, O Pāṇḍavas. Today, even though I am deprived of weapons and chariot, I shall still destroy you all by the sheer force of my splendor—just as, at the end of night, the Sun makes all the stars vanish from sight by his radiance.”

Verse 226

एतावदुकक्‍्त्वा वचनं विरराम जनाधिप: । “भरतश्रेष्ठ) आज मैं भाइयोंसहित तुम्हारा वध करके उन यशस्वी क्षत्रियोंक ऋणसे उऋण हो जाऊँगा। बाह्लीक

Sañjaya said: Having spoken these words, the lord of men fell silent. “O best of the Bharatas, today, together with my brothers, I shall slay you and thereby free myself from the debt I owe to those illustrious kṣatriyas. I shall be released from the debt I owe to Bāhlīka, Droṇa, Bhīṣma, the great-souled Karṇa, the heroic Jayadratha, Bhagadatta, Śalya the king of Madra, Bhūriśravā, Śakuni the son of Subala, and also from the debt I owe to my sons, friends, well-wishers, and kinsmen.” Having said this much, King Duryodhana became silent.

Verse 253

तत्‌ त्वमादाय युध्यस्व प्रेक्षकास्ते वयं स्थिता: । तुम रणभूमिमें अकेले ही एक-एकके साथ भिड़कर हम सब लोगोंसे युद्ध करना चाहते हो तो ऐसा ही सही। जो हथियार तुम्हें पसंद हो

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Then take up the weapon of your choice and fight. We shall stand here as spectators. If you wish to battle us all—meeting each one of us singly on the field—so be it. Choose the arm you prefer and engage, one by one; we will remain stationed as witnesses.”

Verse 263

हत्वैकं भवतो राज्यं हतो वा स्वर्गमाप्तुहि | वीर! मैं स्वयं ही पुनः तुम्हें यह अभीष्ट वर देता हूँ कि “हममेंसे एकका भी वध कर देनेपर सारा राज्य तुम्हारा हो जायगा अथवा यदि तुम्हीं मारे गये तो स्वर्गलोक प्राप्त करोगे”

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “If you slay even one (of us), the kingdom shall be yours; or if you are slain, you will indeed attain heaven.” In this grim ethic of battle, he frames the duel as a stark moral wager: victory grants rightful sovereignty, while death—met with courage—wins the warrior’s heavenly reward.

Verse 293

इदमेकं गदायुद्ध॑ भवत्वद्याद्भुतं महत्‌ । रथके विचित्र युद्ध तो पग-पगपर हुए हैं। आज यह एक अत्यन्त अद्भुत गदायुद्ध भी हो जाय

Duryodhana said: “Let this one mace-duel today become a great and wondrous event.” In the moral atmosphere of the epic’s closing battles, he frames the impending combat as a singular, spectacular trial of strength—seeking glory and final vindication through a decisive, rule-bound contest of arms.

Verse 306

युद्धानामपि पर्यायो भवत्वनुमते तव | मनुष्य बारी-बारीसे एक-एक अस्त्रका प्रयोग करना चाहते हैं; परंतु आज तुम्हारी अनुमतिसे युद्ध भी क्रमश: एक-एक योद्धाके साथ ही हो

Duryodhana said: “Let there be an orderly turn-taking even in the fighting, with your consent. Just as men wish to employ their weapons one by one in succession, so too—by your permission—let the battle proceed in sequence, warrior against warrior.”

Verse 373

अन्तर्जलात्‌ समुत्तस्थौ नागेन्द्र इव नि:श्वसन्‌ । वह पराक्रमी वीर बड़े वेगसे सोनेके अंगदसे विभूषित एवं लोहेकी बनी हुई भारी गदा हाथमें लेकर पानीको चीरता हुआ उसके भीतरसे उठ खड़ा हुआ और सर्पराजके समान लंबी साँस खींचने लगा

Sañjaya said: He rose up from within the water, breathing hard like the lord of serpents. The mighty warrior, adorned with golden armlets and gripping a heavy iron mace, split the waters and emerged, drawing a long, forceful breath—an image of relentless martial resolve amid the violence of war.

Verse 383

उदतिष्ठत पुत्रस्ते प्रतपन्‌ रश्मिवानिव । कंधेपर लोहेकी गदा रखकर बँधे हुए जलका भेदन करके आपका वह पुत्र प्रतापी सूर्यके समान ऊपर उठा

Sañjaya said: Your son rose up again, blazing like the radiant sun. With an iron mace set upon his shoulder, he broke through the binding waters and emerged upward—resplendent in valor, as if the sun itself were rising. The scene underscores the warrior’s steadfast resolve: even when restrained and pressed down, he strives to regain his footing and re-enter the struggle.

Verse 393

गदां परामृशद्‌ धीमान्‌ धार्तराष्ट्री महाबल: । इसके बाद महाबली बुद्धिमान्‌ दुर्योधनने लोहेकी बनी हुई वह सुवर्णभूषित भारी गदा हाथमें ली

Sañjaya said: Then the wise and mighty son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra grasped his mace—heavy, iron-forged, and adorned with gold. In the grim ethic of war, this moment marks Duryodhana’s deliberate readiness to meet his opponent by strength and weapon-skill, choosing the path of combat over retreat or reconciliation.

Verse 663

अथवा फाल्‍्गुनेनाद्य त्वया वा भरतर्षभ । “भरतश्रेष्ठ! तुम्हारे भाइयोंमेंसे कोई एक मेरे साथ गदाद्वारा युद्ध करे। मैं सहदेव, नकुल, भीमसेन, अर्जुन अथवा स्वयं तुमसे भी युद्ध कर सकता हूँ

Sañjaya said: “Or else, O bull among the Bharatas, let it be either Arjuna today—or you yourself. Let any one among your brothers come to fight me with the mace. I am able to engage Sahadeva, Nakula, Bhīmasena, Arjuna, or even you in combat.”

Verse 2736

आयुधानामियं चापि वृता त्वत्सम्मते गदा । दुर्योधन बोला--राजन्‌! यदि ऐसी बात है तो इस महासमरमें मेरे साथ लड़नेके लिये आज किसी भी एक शूरवीरको दे दो और तुम्हारी सम्मतिके अनुसार हथियारोंमें मैंने एकमात्र इस गदाका ही वरण किया है

Duryodhana said: “Among weapons, and with your approval, I have chosen this mace as my sole arm.”