Shloka 21
Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57
वज्चयानौ पुनश्चैव चेरतु: कुरुसत्तमौ । विक्रीडन्ती सुबलिनौ मण्डलानि विचेरतु:,कुरुकुलके वे दोनों श्रेष्ठ और बलवान वीर विपक्षीको चकमा देते हुए बारंबार युद्धके खेल दिखाते तथा पैंतरे बदलते थे
vajrācayānau punaś caiva ceratuḥ kurusattamau | vikrīḍantau subalinau maṇḍalāni viceratuḥ ||
Dijo Sañjaya: Aquellos dos héroes preclaros de la estirpe Kuru se movían una y otra vez, girando en combate. Fuertes y ágiles, luchaban como en un deporte sombrío: amagaban, cambiaban de postura y trazaban círculos de batalla para desbordarse mutuamente. El verso exalta el oficio del guerrero: movimiento disciplinado y engaño táctico dentro de los códigos aceptados del campo de guerra.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that warfare, when undertaken by kṣatriyas, is not mere violence but a disciplined craft governed by training and accepted battlefield conventions—movement, feints, and tactical circling. It implicitly points to responsibility: skill and strength must operate within dharma rather than devolving into uncontrolled brutality.
Sañjaya describes two leading Kuru champions continuing their duel. They repeatedly circle and maneuver, using feints and changing positions—like a deadly ‘game’—to gain advantage over each other in the ongoing battle.