Shloka 45
Vāg-yuddha and Nimitta-darśana before the Gadāyuddha
Verbal Duel and Omens
केकयै: सृग्जयैर्दप्तं पञ्चालैश्व महात्मभि: । राजन्! तदनन्तर दुर्योधनने अमितपराक्रमी बलराम, महात्मा श्रीकृष्ण, महामनस्वी पांचाल, संजय, केकयगण तथा अपने भाइयोंके साथ खड़े हुए अभिमानी युधिष्ठिरसे इस प्रकार गर्वयुक्त वचन कहा-- ।।
kekayaiḥ sṛñjayair daptaṃ pañcālaiś ca mahātmabhiḥ | rājan tad-anantaraṃ duryodhanena amitaparākramī balarāmaḥ mahātmā śrīkṛṣṇaḥ mahāmanasvī pāñcālaḥ sañjayaḥ kekayagaṇaḥ tathā svabhrātṛbhiḥ saha tiṣṭhataḥ abhīmāninā yudhiṣṭhirena etad-vidhaṃ garvayuktaṃ vacanaṃ uktam || idaṃ vyavasitaṃ yuddhaṃ mama bhīmasya cobhayoḥ ||
सञ्जय उवाच—राजन्, केकयैः सृञ्जयैर्दप्तैः पाञ्चालैश्च महात्मभिः। तदनन्तरं दुर्योधनः, अमितपराक्रमं बलरामं महात्मानं श्रीकृष्णं च, पाञ्चालान् संजयम् केकयगणांश्च स्वभ्रातृभिः सहोपस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा, अभिमानिनं युधिष्ठिरं प्रति गर्वयुक्तं वचनमब्रवीत्—“इदं युद्धं मम भीमस्य चोभयोः सुदृढं व्यवसितम्।”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how pride and boastful resolve can color even a righteous cause: in war, determination (vyavasāya) must be governed by dharma and restraint, otherwise it becomes mere ego-driven rivalry.
Sañjaya reports that, amid the assembled allies (Kekayas, Sṛñjayas, Pāñcālas) and notable figures like Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa, Yudhiṣṭhira—described as proud—declares that a decisive fight has been settled between himself and Bhīma.