Shloka 3
Koṭikāśya’s Inquiry to the Radiant Woman near the Kadamba (कोटिकाश्यप्रश्नः)
मायाधिकास्त्वयुध्यन्त यदा शूरा वियद्वता: । तदा नो न सम॑ युद्धमभवत् खेचरै: सह
māyādhikās tvayudhyanta yadā śūrā viyadvatāḥ | tadā no na samaṁ yuddham abhavat khecaraiḥ saha ||
Duryodhana said: “When those heroic beings, superior through magical power, fought while moving through the sky, our battle was no longer an equal contest—facing such sky-ranging opponents, we could not match them on fair terms.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical tension in warfare: when one side employs extraordinary powers (māyā) and aerial mobility, the contest ceases to be ‘sama’ (equal/fair). It reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring concern with how advantage, deception, or asymmetry complicate kṣatriya ideals of a balanced fight.
Duryodhana is describing a situation in which heroic opponents, empowered by māyā and moving through the sky, engage in combat. He complains that, under these conditions, his side cannot fight on equal terms against such khecaras (sky-ranging fighters/beings).