Shloka 11
अर्जुनस्य दिग्विजयारम्भः — Arjuna Initiates the Northern Campaign and Secures Bhagadattta’s Tribute
करग्रहणपूर्व तु कृत्वा पादाभिवन्दनम् | कक्षै: कक्षां विधुन्वानावास्फोर्ट तत्र चक्रतु:ः
karagrahaṇapūrvaṁ tu kṛtvā pādābhivandanam | kakṣaiḥ kakṣāṁ vidhunvānāv āsphorṭa tatra cakratuḥ ||
Mula-mula mereka berjabat tangan, lalu masing-masing memberi sembah hormat pada kaki yang lain. Sesudah itu, dengan menggoncang pangkal lengan hingga tali gelang lengan bergetar, kedua-dua wira itu pun menepuk lengan dan menghentak bumi sebagai cabaran di tempat itu—tanda lahir tekad kepahlawanan, namun tetap dibingkai oleh adab saling menghormati sebelum bertarung.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in confrontation, dharma is expressed through restraint and respect: the warriors begin with a handshake and salutation at the feet, showing that personal honor and social order should frame conflict, not be discarded by it.
Two warriors formally acknowledge each other—first by clasping hands, then by paying respect at the feet—and immediately afterward adopt the conventional physical gestures of a duel (shaking the arms so the armlet cords move, slapping the arms/stamping) to signal readiness and challenge.