Shloka 48
Bhīma–Duryodhana Gadāyuddha Saṃkalpa
Resolve for the Mace Duel
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
sañjaya uvāca utthitaḥ snāt jalāt tasmāt putro duryodhanas tava | atiṣṭhata gadāpāṇī rudhireṇa samukṣitaḥ ||
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.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how warfare can reduce human life to endurance and aggression: even after injury and bloodshed, the warrior stands ready again. Ethically, it underscores the Mahabharata’s recurring warning that stubborn pride and attachment to victory can persist even when the body and the world are soaked in suffering.
Sanjaya reports to the blind king Dhritarashtra that Duryodhana has come out of the water after bathing, and now stands holding his mace. He is covered in blood, indicating recent combat and injury, and the scene sets the tone for the continuing, brutal climax of the conflict.