Shloka 25

Bhīma–Duryodhana Gadāyuddha Saṃkalpa

Resolve for the Mace Duel

Devanagari script

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 ।। यस्त्वमेको हि नः सर्वान्‌ संगरे योद्धुमिच्छसि । एक एकेन संगम्य यत्‌ ते सम्मतमायुधम्‌

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

yastvameko hi naḥ sarvān saṅgare yoddhumicchasi |

eka ekena saṅgamya yat te sammatam āyudham ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „Suyodhana! Glückselig ist es, dass auch du das Kṣatriya-Dharma kennst. O Mächtigarmiger, es erfreut mich zu wissen, dass dein Sinn noch immer allein auf den Kampf gerichtet ist. O Sprössling der Kurus, du bist ein Held und verstehst das Kriegshandwerk – das ist Grund zur Freude und ein gutes Zeichen. Da du, ganz allein, im Gefecht gegen uns alle kämpfen willst, so tritt uns denn einem nach dem andern entgegen und wähle die Waffe, die du für angemessen hältst.“

Word by Word

• {'yudhiṣṭhira uvāca': 'Yudhiṣṭhira said', 'yaḥ tvam': 'since you (who) / you who', 'ekaḥ': 'alone, single', 'hi': 'indeed, surely', 'naḥ': 'us, our', 'sarvān': 'all (of us)', 'saṅgare': 'in battle, in combat', 'yoddhum': 'to fight', 'icchasi': 'you wish, you desire', 'eka ekena': 'one by one

• each with one (opponent)', 'saṅgamya': 'having met/engaged

• coming together for combat', 'yat': 'whatever', 'te': 'to you

• your', 'sammatam': 'approved, agreed upon, acceptable (to you)', 'āyudham': 'weapon'}

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Suyodhana (Duryodhana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma: courage and willingness to fight must be paired with a sense of propriety—here expressed as agreeing to a regulated, one-on-one engagement with a chosen weapon, emphasizing honor and fairness even in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Suyodhana (Duryodhana), acknowledging his readiness for battle and responding to his bold stance by proposing single combats—one warrior at a time—allowing Duryodhana to select the weapon he considers acceptable.