Shloka 2736
Vāg-yuddha and Nimitta-darśana before the Gadāyuddha
Verbal Duel and Omens
उभौ शिष्यौ गदायुद्धे रोहिणेयस्य धीमत: । दोनों ही अत्यन्त क्रोधमें भरे थे। दोनों भयंकर पराक्रम प्रकट करनेवाले थे और दोनों ही गदायुद्धमें बुद्धिमान् रोहिणीनन्दन बलरामजीके शिष्य थे
ubhau śiṣyau gadāyuddhe rohiṇeyasya dhīmataḥ |
Sañjaya said: Both were disciples of the wise Rohiṇeya (Balarāma) in the art of fighting with the mace. Inflamed with intense anger, each displayed fearsome prowess—an image of how martial skill, when driven by wrath, turns into a terrifying force on the battlefield.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral tension: mastery of a noble martial discipline becomes dangerous when fueled by uncontrolled anger. Skill (śikṣā) without inner restraint can magnify violence rather than uphold dharma.
Sañjaya describes two combatants as equally formidable and equally trained in mace-fighting under Balarāma (Rohiṇeya). Their shared discipleship and shared rage set the stage for a fierce, evenly matched duel.