Shloka 34
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ५४: दुर्योधनस्य धृतराष्ट्रं प्रति बलप्रशंसन-युक्तः आश्वासनवादः
Duryodhana’s Reassurance and Force-Praise to Dhritarashtra
दुर्योधनसमो नास्ति गदायामिति निश्चय: । संकर्षणस्य भद्रें ते यत् तदैेनमुपावसम्
duryodhanasamo nāsti gadāyām iti niścayaḥ | saṅkarṣaṇasya bhadraṃ te yat tadaivainam upāvasam |
আপনার মঙ্গল হোক। সংকর্ষণ (বলরাম)-এরও এই স্থির বিশ্বাস—গদাযুদ্ধে দুর্যোধনের সমান আর কেউ নেই। আমি যখন তাঁর কাছে থেকে গদার শিক্ষা নিচ্ছিলাম, তখনই তিনি এ কথা বলেছিলেন।
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how claims of superiority in warfare are bolstered by appealing to an esteemed authority (Balarāma). Ethically, it also shows how martial excellence can feed pride and become a tool in political persuasion.
Duryodhana asserts that no one equals him in mace-combat and cites Balarāma (Saṅkarṣaṇa) as having affirmed this when Duryodhana lived with him to learn the mace.