Mahabharata 9.32.12 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 32, Shloka 12

Bhīma–Duryodhana Gadāyuddha Saṃkalpa

Resolve for the Mace Duel

Devanagari script

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

Transliteration

ekekena tu māṃ yūyaṃ yodhayadhvaṃ yudhiṣṭhira | na hy eko bahubhir vīrair nyāyyo yodhayituṃ yudhi ||

Translation

قال سنجيا: «يا يودهيشتِهيرا، ليقاتلني كلّ واحدٍ منكم على حدة. فليس من العدل في خضمّ الحرب أن يُكرَه محاربٌ واحد على مقاتلة أبطالٍ كثيرين دفعةً واحدة.»

Word by Word

• एकैकेन: one by one / with each single (person)
• एकैकेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकैक
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• तु: but / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Plural

• योधयध्वम्: fight (make battle) / engage (in combat)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Plural, Atmanepada, Causative (ṇic)

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• एकः: one (person)
• एकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बहुभिः: by many (people)
• बहुभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• वीरैः: by heroes / warriors
• वीरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• न्याय्यः: proper / just
• न्याय्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्याय्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• योधयितुम्: to make (someone) fight / to engage (someone) in battle
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Infinitive (tumun), Causative (ṇic)

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse appeals to nyāya (fairness) in warfare: it is unethical to force one fighter to face many at once; proper conduct favors regulated, equitable combat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a challenge addressed to Yudhiṣṭhira: the speaker demands single combat—each opponent should fight individually—rejecting a many-against-one engagement as unjust.