Shloka 30
Bhīma–Duryodhana Gadāyuddha Saṃkalpa
Resolve for the Mace Duel
|| अस्त्राणामपि पर्यायं कर्तुमिच्छन्ति मानवा:
astrāṇām api paryāyaṁ kartum icchanti mānavāḥ
Duryodhana berkata: “Bahkan dengan senjata pun, manusia mencari pertukaran giliran—mahu mengubah haluan dan merampas kembali kelebihan.” Dalam bayang-bayang etika perang, kata-kata ini menyiratkan gelora hati manusia yang resah, ingin membalikkan nasib dengan apa jua cara, daripada menerima tanggungjawab dan akibatnya.
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse points to a common human tendency in conflict: people try to ‘change the turn’—to reverse disadvantage and seize a new opening. Ethically, it can be read as a warning that the desire to manipulate outcomes may override steadiness, accountability, and restraint.
In Shalya Parva’s battle context, Duryodhana comments on how fighters and leaders look for a shift in momentum—seeking an alternation of advantage even amid the use of weapons—reflecting the tactical, unstable nature of the war.