Shloka 80
Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana
तौ समेतौ महाराज स्पर्धमानौ महाबलौ
tau sametau mahārāja spardhamānau mahābalau
सञ्जय उवाच—तौ समेतौ महाराज स्पर्धमानौ महाबलौ, परस्परं बलेन युद्धे समरे समतिष्ठताम्।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya-world ethic of direct confrontation and competitive valor: when powerful opponents meet, their rivalry naturally expresses itself as a test of strength. Implicitly, it also points to the tragic momentum of war—personal prowess becomes inseparable from the larger consequences of conflict.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that two formidable fighters have come face-to-face on the battlefield and are actively contending with each other, indicating an intense duel or close engagement within the broader war scene.