Shloka 253
Bhīma–Duryodhana Gadāyuddha Saṃkalpa
Resolve for the Mace Duel
तत् त्वमादाय युध्यस्व प्रेक्षकास्ते वयं स्थिता: । तुम रणभूमिमें अकेले ही एक-एकके साथ भिड़कर हम सब लोगोंसे युद्ध करना चाहते हो तो ऐसा ही सही। जो हथियार तुम्हें पसंद हो
tat tvam ādāya yudhyasva prekṣakās te vayaṁ sthitāḥ |
Sinabi ni Yudhiṣṭhira: “Kung gayon, kunin mo ang sandatang nais mo at makipaglaban. Kami’y tatayo rito bilang mga manonood. Kung ibig mong hamunin kaming lahat—harap-harapan, isa-isa sa larangan—sige. Piliin mo ang sandatang gusto mo at lumaban ka nang paisa-isa; mananatili kaming nakatayo bilang mga saksi.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds kṣatriya-ethics: courage and readiness to meet a challenge, while also framing combat within agreed terms (weapon-choice and sequential duels), emphasizing honor and regulated warfare rather than chaos.
Yudhiṣṭhira responds to an opponent’s desire to fight multiple warriors by permitting him to take any preferred weapon and face the Pāṇḍavas one at a time, while the others stand by as witnesses/spectators to the duel sequence.