Shloka 3
बभ्रुवाहन-धनंजययोः संग्रामः
Babhruvāhana and Dhanaṃjaya’s engagement at Maṇipūra
तान् प्रहस्य महाबाहु: पुनरेव व्यवस्थितान् । ततः प्रोवाच कौन्तेयो मुमूर्षून् *लक्षणया गिरा । युध्यध्वं परया शक्त्या यतध्वं विजये मम,उस समय महाबाहु कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुन पुनः मरनेकी इच्छासे खड़े हुए सैन्धवोंको सम्बोधित करके हँसते हुए मधुर वाणीमें बोले--“वीरो! तुम पूरी शक्ति लगाकर युद्ध करो और मुझपर विजय पानेका प्रयत्न करते रहो
tān prahasya mahābāhuḥ punar eva vyavasthitān | tataḥ provāca kaunteyo mumūrṣūn lakṣaṇayā girā | yudhyadhvaṁ parayā śaktyā yatadhvaṁ vijaye mama ||
Smiling at them when they had once again taken their positions, the mighty-armed Arjuna—Kuntī’s son—addressed those who seemed bent on death with gentle words of implied meaning: “Fight with your utmost strength; strive to win victory over me.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of meeting battle with full effort and fearlessness, while also showing Arjuna’s composed superiority: he invites the enemy to exert themselves completely, implying that true valor is demonstrated through wholehearted engagement rather than hesitation.
As the opposing Saindhava fighters re-form and stand ready again, Arjuna smiles and addresses them. He urges them to fight with their full strength and to keep striving for victory over him—words that carry an implied, confident edge (lakṣaṇā), suggesting he is not intimidated by their renewed stance.