Shloka 31
Kaurava Mobilization at Kurukṣetra (Duryodhana Orders War Preparations) / कुरुक्षेत्रे धार्तराष्ट्र-सैन्यसज्जा
नतं युद्धे प्रपश्यामि यो भिन्द्यात् तु शिखण्डिनम् । शस्त्रेण समरे राजन् संनद्ध॑ स्यन्दने स्थितम्
nataṁ yuddhe prapaśyāmi yo bhindyāt tu śikhaṇḍinam | śastreṇa samare rājan saṁnaddhaḥ syandane sthitam ||
Bhīmasena dit : «Ô roi, je ne vois personne, au combat, qui puisse abattre Śikhaṇḍin d’une arme, lorsqu’il se tient au plus fort de la mêlée, cuirassé de toutes pièces, sur son char.»
भीमसेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights prudent martial judgment: before acting, a warrior must realistically assess an opponent’s preparedness and battlefield position. It underscores that courage is not mere aggression but informed discernment about capability and circumstance.
Bhīma addresses a king and declares that, in his view, no one can easily bring down Śikhaṇḍin in open battle, since Śikhaṇḍin is fully armed and stationed on a chariot—an assertion meant to emphasize Śikhaṇḍin’s formidable presence and the tactical difficulty of confronting him.