Shloka 24
Duryodhana-patana-anuśocana
The Fall of Duryodhana and the Contest of Restraint
तथैव तव पुत्रोडपि गदामार्गविशारद: । व्यचरल्लघु चित्र च भीमसेनजिघांसया,इसी प्रकार गदायुद्धकी प्रणालीका विशेषज्ञ आपका पुत्र भी भीमसेनके वधकी इच्छासे शीघ्रतापूर्वक विचित्र पैंतरे देता हुआ विचरने लगा
tathaiva tava putro 'pi gadāmārga-viśāradaḥ | vyacaral laghu citraṃ ca bhīmasena-jighāṃsayā ||
“So too, your son—skilled in the methods and tactics of mace-fighting—began to move about swiftly, displaying varied and artful maneuvers, driven by the intent to slay Bhīmasena.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how technical mastery in combat (gadāmārga-viśāradatā) can be directed by inner intention; here, skill is explicitly yoked to a lethal aim. It invites reflection on how motive shapes the ethical weight of prowess in war.
Vāyudeva describes the mace-duel situation: Duryodhana, an expert in mace-fighting tactics, begins circling and maneuvering rapidly with varied feints and movements, intent on killing Bhīma.