Shloka 35
Bhīma–Duryodhana Gadāyuddha Saṃkalpa
Resolve for the Mace Duel
संजय उवाच एतत् स नरशार्दूलो नामृष्यत तवात्मज: । सलिलान्तर्गतः श्वभ्रे महानाग इव श्वसन्,संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! युधिष्ठिरके इस कथनको जलमें स्थित हुआ आपका पुत्र पुरुषसिंह दुर्योधन नहीं सह सका। वह बिलमें बैठे हुए विशाल सर्पके समान लंबी साँस खींचने लगा
sañjaya uvāca | etat sa naraśārdūlo nāmṛṣyata tavātmajaḥ | salilāntargataḥ śvabhre mahānāga iva śvasan |
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, putramu Duryodhana—harimau di antara manusia—tak sanggup menahan kata-kata itu. Tersembunyi di dalam air, di lubangnya, ia menarik napas panjang dan berat bagaikan ular raksasa di sarangnya.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Unchecked pride and resentment make a person inwardly suffer and lose clarity; the verse depicts how wounded ego, even when outwardly restrained, churns within and prepares further conflict—an ethical warning about krodha (anger) and māna (pride) in leadership.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Duryodhana, concealed in a watery pit, cannot bear what was said (contextually, Yudhishthira’s statement) and reacts by heavy, serpent-like breathing—signaling suppressed rage and agitation while he remains hidden.