Shloka 66
Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57
स पार्थिवो नित्यममर्षितस्तदा महारथ: शिक्षितवत्् परि भ्रमन् । अताडयत् पाण्डवमग्रत: स्थितं स विह्धलाड़्री जगतीमुपास्पृशत्,सदा अमर्षमें भरे रहनेवाले महारथी राजा दुर्योधनने एक शिक्षित योद्धाकी भाँति विचरते हुए अपने सामने खड़े भीमसेनपर पुन: गदाका प्रहार किया। उसकी चोट खाकर भीमसेनका सारा शरीर शिथिल हो गया और उन्होंने धरती थाम ली
sa pārthivo nityam amarṣitas tadā mahārathaḥ śikṣitavat paribhraman | atāḍayat pāṇḍavam agrataḥ sthitaṃ sa vidhvalāṅgo jagatīm upāspṛśat ||
Sañjaya said: Then that king, ever seething with resentment, the great chariot-warrior, moving about like a well-trained fighter, struck the Pāṇḍava who stood before him once again with his mace. Smitten by that blow, Bhīmasena’s limbs slackened; losing steadiness, he sank down and clutched the earth. The scene underscores how wrath and wounded pride can drive a warrior to relentless violence, even as endurance and resolve are tested at the edge of collapse.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how persistent resentment (amarṣa) fuels repeated aggression, while also portraying the severe physical and moral pressures of kṣatriya warfare—where discipline in combat can coexist with ethically troubling motives like rage and wounded pride.
Duryodhana, maneuvering skillfully, delivers another mace-blow to Bhīma standing before him. The impact leaves Bhīma’s body slack, and he sinks down, touching or clutching the earth.