Shloka 9

Bhīma–Duryodhana Gadāyuddha Saṃkalpa

Resolve for the Mace Duel

Devanagari script

सलिलान्तर्गतो राजा धुन्वन्‌ हस्तौ पुनः पुन: । मनश्लकार युद्धाय राजानं चाभ्यभाषत

Transliteration

salilāntargato rājā dhunvan hastau punaḥ punaḥ | manaślakāra yuddhāya rājānaṃ cābhyabhāṣata ||

Translation

สัญชัยกล่าวว่า—พระราชาผู้จมอยู่ในน้ำสะบัดพระหัตถ์ทั้งสองครั้งแล้วครั้งเล่า ตั้งพระทัยมั่นต่อการศึก แล้วตรัสกับพระราชาอีกองค์ด้วย

Word by Word

सलिल-अन्तर्गतःhaving entered into the water / immersed in water

राजाthe king

धुन्वन्shaking

हस्तौboth hands

पुनःagain

मनश्लकारManashlakara (proper name)

युद्धायfor battle

राजानम्the king

चand

अभ्यभाषतspoke to / addressed

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

स

संजय (Sañjaya)

र

राजा (the king, unspecified in this verse)

र

राजानम् (another king, unspecified in this verse)

स

सलिल (water)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.