Shloka 24
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 13 — Kīcaka’s Proposition and Draupadī’s Dharmic Refusal
ततस्तौ नरशार्दूलौ बाहुयुद्धं समीयतु:
tatastau naraśārdūlau bāhuyuddhaṃ samīyatuḥ
Then those two tiger-like men closed in for a contest of arms—meeting in direct, hand-to-hand combat. The narration underscores the warrior code: when words and distance fail, the struggle is taken up face to face, testing strength, resolve, and restraint within the bounds of kṣatriya conduct.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of confronting conflict directly and courageously. By moving into bāhuyuddha (hand-to-hand combat), the narrative emphasizes personal valor and disciplined force—strength governed by warrior duty rather than mere aggression.
Vaiśampāyana describes a shift from earlier modes of engagement to close combat: the two heroic opponents come together and begin fighting with their arms, signaling an intensification of the encounter.