Mahabharata 9.32.12 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 32, Shloka 12

Bhīma–Duryodhana Gadāyuddha Saṃkalpa

Resolve for the Mace Duel

Devanagari script

एकैकेन तु मां यूयं योधयध्वं युधिष्ठिर । न होको बहुभिववीरिर्याय्यो योधयितुं युधि

Transliteration

ekekena tu māṃ yūyaṃ yodhayadhvaṃ yudhiṣṭhira | na hy eko bahubhir vīrair nyāyyo yodhayituṃ yudhi ||

Translation

اے یُدھشٹھِر! تم لوگ ایک ایک کر کے مجھ سے لڑو۔ میدانِ جنگ میں بہت سے بہادروں کا مل کر ایک شخص کو لڑنے پر مجبور کرنا انصاف نہیں۔

Word by Word

• एकैकेन: one by one / with each single (person)
• एकैकेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकैक
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• तु: but / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Plural

• योधयध्वम्: fight (make battle) / engage (in combat)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Plural, Atmanepada, Causative (ṇic)

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• एकः: one (person)
• एकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बहुभिः: by many (people)
• बहुभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• वीरैः: by heroes / warriors
• वीरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• न्याय्यः: proper / just
• न्याय्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्याय्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• योधयितुम्: to make (someone) fight / to engage (someone) in battle
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Infinitive (tumun), Causative (ṇic)

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse appeals to nyāya (fairness) in warfare: it is unethical to force one fighter to face many at once; proper conduct favors regulated, equitable combat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a challenge addressed to Yudhiṣṭhira: the speaker demands single combat—each opponent should fight individually—rejecting a many-against-one engagement as unjust.