Shloka 9
Bhīma–Duryodhana Gadāyuddha Saṃkalpa
Resolve for the Mace Duel
सलिलान्तर्गतो राजा धुन्वन् हस्तौ पुनः पुन: । मनश्लकार युद्धाय राजानं चाभ्यभाषत
salilāntargato rājā dhunvan hastau punaḥ punaḥ | manaślakāra yuddhāya rājānaṃ cābhyabhāṣata ||
സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ജലത്തിനകത്ത് ആയിരുന്ന രാജാവ് വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും ഇരുകൈകളും കുലുക്കി, മനസ്സിൽ യുദ്ധനിശ്ചയം ഉറപ്പാക്കി, മറ്റേ രാജാവിനോടും സംസാരിച്ചു.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of mental steadiness and readiness for duty in war: even amid physical discomfort (being in water), the warrior-king gathers resolve and turns his mind toward the task at hand.
Sañjaya describes a king who is in the water; he repeatedly shakes his hands (as if to clear water and regain readiness), steels his mind for combat, and then addresses another king—signaling a renewed engagement in the battle.