Shloka 5
Duryodhana-vadha-pratikriyā: Harṣa, Nindā, and Kṛṣṇa’s Nīti-vyākhyā (Śalya-parva 60)
फिर वहाँ राजाओंकी मण्डलीमें अपनी दोनों बाँहें ऊपर उठाकर हलधर बलरामने भयंकर आर्तनाद करते हुए कहा--'भीमसेन! तुम्हें धिक्कार है! धिक्कार है!! ।। अहो धिग् यदधो नाभे: प्रह्तं धर्मविग्रहे नैतद् दृष्टं गदायुद्धे कृतवान् यद् वकोदर:,“अहो! इस धर्मयुद्धमें नाभिसे नीचे जो प्रहार किया गया है और जिसे भीमसेनने स्वयं किया है, यह गदायुद्धमें कभी नहीं देखा गया
sañjaya uvāca | atha tatra rājamaṇḍalīmadhye bāhū samutkṣipya haladharo balarāmo bhīṣaṇam ārta-nādaṁ kṛtvā uvāca— “bhīmasena! tvāṁ dhig astu! dhig astu!! aho dhig yad adho nābheḥ prahṛtaṁ dharma-vigrahe; naitad dṛṣṭaṁ gadā-yuddhe kṛtavān yad vṛkodaraḥ.”
Sanjaya said: Then, there in the assembly of kings, Haladhara Balarama raised both his arms aloft and, with a dreadful cry of anguish, declared: “Bhimasena—shame on you, shame! Alas, shame indeed: in this contest claimed as a righteous duel, a blow has been struck below the navel. Such a thing has never been seen in mace-fighting—yet it is Vrikodara who has done it.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, a contest publicly framed as dharma-bound is expected to follow agreed rules; violating them (here, striking below the navel in mace-combat) is treated as a moral breach that stains victory with dishonor.
In the presence of the gathered kings, Balarama—an authority on mace-fighting—reacts with anguish and anger, publicly censuring Bhima for delivering a prohibited blow below the navel during the mace duel.