Shloka 253
Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57
सव्यं तु मण्डलं तत्र भीमसेनो< भ्यवर्तत । राजन! दोनों ही हाथमें गदा लेकर मण्डलाकार युद्धस्थलमें खड़े थे। उनमेंसे बलवान् दुर्योधन दक्षिण मण्डलमें खड़ा था और भीमसेन बायें मण्डलमें
savyaṃ tu maṇḍalaṃ tatra bhīmaseno 'bhyavartata | rājan!
サンジャヤは言った。そこでビー マセーナは、対決の左の円へと身を移した。王よ、二人の戦士は円形の闘場に立ち、各々が棍棒（ガダー）を手にしていた。肉体の力で勝るドゥルヨーダナが右の円を占め、ビー マは左の円を取った。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the formal, rule-bound nature of single combat in the epic: even amid catastrophic war, the duel is framed with ordered space (the maṇḍala) and clear positioning, reflecting the kṣatriya ideal of facing one’s rival directly within agreed conventions.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīma takes the left-side position in the circular arena for the mace-fight, while Duryodhana stands on the right; both are poised with maces, marking the tense setup of their climactic duel.