Shloka 24
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 13 — Kīcaka’s Proposition and Draupadī’s Dharmic Refusal
ततस्तौ नरशार्दूलौ बाहुयुद्धं समीयतु:
tatastau naraśārdūlau bāhuyuddhaṃ samīyatuḥ
Entonces aquellos dos hombres, como tigres, se cerraron para un combate de brazos: un choque directo, cuerpo a cuerpo. El relato subraya el código del guerrero: cuando las palabras y la distancia no bastan, la lucha se asume frente a frente, poniendo a prueba la fuerza, la resolución y la contención dentro de los límites de la conducta kṣatriya.
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.