Shloka 16
Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57
भरतनन्दन! वीर भीमसेन भाँति-भाँतिके मार्गों और मण्डलोंका प्रदर्शन करते हुए पुनः बड़ी शोभा पाने लगे ।।
bharatanandana! vīro bhīmasenaḥ bhānti-bhāntike mārgān maṇḍalāni ca pradarśayan punaḥ mahāśobhayā śuśubhe. tau parasparam āsādya yattāv anyonya-rakṣaṇe, mārjārāv iva bhakṣārthaṃ tata-kṣāte muhur muhuḥ.
Sañjaya dijo: «¡Oh descendiente de Bharata! El heroico Bhīmasena, mostrando rutas siempre variadas y maniobras circulares, volvió a brillar con gran esplendor. Los dos guerreros se cerraron el uno contra el otro, cada cual esforzándose por guardarse del rival; como dos gatos que pelean por un bocado, golpeaban y respondían al golpe una y otra vez».
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension in war: even great heroes must balance prowess with self-protection. The cat-simile underscores how fierce conflict can reduce opponents to instinctive struggle over a ‘prize,’ reminding the listener that unchecked rivalry and attachment to gain can make combat brutal and repetitive.
Sañjaya describes Bhīma’s impressive battlefield movement—varied paths and circular turns—after which the two fighters close in. They repeatedly exchange blows while each tries to defend himself, likened to two cats quarrelling over a morsel.