09.031
Core and Pancharatra: Wounded Duryodhana comes out of the water, unable to bear the harsh words of Yudhisthira, and asks one of the Pandavas to fight him with a mace. Yudhisthira asks, where was his Dharma, whem he attacked Abhimanyu with many, when he was single?
Dhritarashtra said:
"Thus threatened, how did my son, the king, who is naturally an angry hero, react, O scorcher of foes?"
He was never known to intimidate anyone. With his royal demeanor, he was respected by everyone.
O Sanjaya, this entire earth, filled with barbarians and dense forests, is greatly sustained by the grace of the one who stands visibly before you.
He was thus reproached by the sons of Pandu, especially, and was greatly deprived and surrounded by his own servants in solitude.
Upon hearing those harsh and victorious words repeatedly, what did he say to the Pandavas? Please tell me, Sanjaya.
Sanjaya said:
Then, O king, your son, while standing in water, was threatened by Yudhishthira, the king of kings, along with his brothers.
Upon hearing the harsh words, the king, who was in a difficult situation, sighed deeply and repeatedly while standing in the water.
The king, after entering the water and repeatedly shaking his hands, resolved to fight and spoke to the king.
"You all, the sons of Pṛthā, are accompanied by friends and have all your chariots and vehicles. I, on the other hand, am alone, distressed, without a chariot, and deprived of my vehicle."
Surrounded by many charioteers with weapons, how can I, unarmed and on foot, dare to fight alone?
"Yudhishthira, you all should fight me one by one. It is not fair for a single warrior to be challenged by many heroes in battle."
The soldiers, especially those without armor, were tired and had resorted to water. They were greatly wounded and their vehicles were also worn out.
I have no fear from you, O king, nor from Arjuna, Bhima, Krishna, or the Panchalas.
I am not able to fight here alone against all your soldiers, whether they are led by Yuyudhāna or anyone else, as I am angry.
O ruler of people, the fame of virtuous men is rooted in dharma. Here, I declare that by protecting both dharma and fame, one upholds the highest virtues.
I will rise and fight against you all in battle, just as the year contends with all the seasons that come as its descendants.
Today, I will destroy your chariots with horses, even if unarmed and without chariot, like the sun destroys all stars at the end of the night. Be steady, O sons of Pandu.
Today, I will fulfill my obligations to the renowned warriors, including Bahlika, Drona, Bhishma, and the noble Karna.
The verse refers to the valor and significance of Jayadratha, Bhagadatta, the king of Madra - Shalya, and Bhurishravas, highlighting their roles and importance.
O best of the Bharatas, the sons, Shakuni the son of Subala, friends, well-wishers, and relatives are all similarly involved.
The king declared, "Today, I shall be free from debt by killing you along with my brothers." Having said this, he fell silent.
Yudhishthira said:
"Suyodhana, it is fortunate that you are aware of the warrior's duty. It is also fortunate that your mind is set on battle, O mighty-armed one."
"Fortunately, you are a hero, O descendant of Kuru, and you know the art of battle. It is indeed fortunate that you wish to take on all of us alone in the battlefield."
Unite with one and take your approved weapon to fight; we stand here as your spectators.
O hero, I grant you this desired wish again. Either by killing one, attain your kingdom, or if you are killed, attain heaven.
Duryodhana said:
If today I am granted a boon to fight in the battle, then this mace is chosen with your consent.
One among you brothers who thinks it possible to challenge me, let him, as a foot-soldier with a mace, fight with me in battle.
There have been various events of chariot battles at every step. Let this mace battle today be a great and wonderful one.
Humans desire to find alternatives for food, and with your consent, let there also be alternatives for wars.
O mighty-armed one, with my mace, I shall defeat you, your younger brother, the Panchalas, the Srinjayas, and all your other warriors.
Yudhishthira said:
"Arise, arise, O son of Gandhari, fight me, Suyodhana. Let us meet one by one in battle, strong with our maces."
"Be a man in Gandhara and fight with full preparation. Today, your life is at stake, even though you are as swift as the mind."
Sanjaya said:
Your son, the tiger among men, could not bear it and, submerged in water, he breathed like a great serpent in the depths.
Thus, the wise one, being repeatedly urged by words, did not tolerate the speech, just as an excellent horse does not tolerate the whip.
The powerful warrior, after stirring the waters with great speed and taking up his heavy mace made of mountain essence and adorned with golden armlets, emerged from the water like a mighty serpent king, breathing heavily.
Your son, having pierced the stagnant water and placed the iron mace on his shoulder, rose like the sun with scorching rays.
Then the wise and mighty son of Dhritarashtra, with great strength, grasped the heavy iron mace adorned with gold.
Bharata, with his mace in hand, stood like a towering mountain with peaks, appearing as an angry protector of the people, wielding a trident. He shone brilliantly, like the blazing sun.
All beings regarded the mighty-armed, mace-wielding subduer of foes as if he were death itself, holding a staff.
All the Panchalas saw your son, O ruler of the people, as if he were Indra with a thunderbolt in hand and Shiva with a trident.
Upon witnessing the crossing, the Panchalas and Pandavas were filled with joy and exchanged greetings by clapping each other's palms.
But considering him a mockery, your son Duryodhana, with anger in his eyes, seemed as if he wanted to burn the Pandavas.
With his eyebrows raised in three peaks and his teeth clenched, he then replied to the Pāṇḍavas and Keśava.
Today, I am the responder to your ridicule, O Pandavas; you and the Panchalas will be slain and immediately go to the abode of Yama.
Your son Duryodhana rose from the water, standing with a mace in hand, covered in blood.
His body, smeared with blood and washed with water, shone like a mountain with streams flowing down.
The Pandavas saw the hero with the raised mace and thought of him as Yama, the god of death, angry and with a servant ready to strike.
He, mighty and roaring like a cloud-roaring bull from joy, then called the sons of Pritha to battle with a mace.
Duryodhana said:
"Yudhishthira, you should approach me one by one. It is not fair for one warrior to fight against many in battle."
He had laid down his armor, was especially tired and submerged in water, greatly wounded, and his vehicle and soldiers were destroyed.
Yudhishthira said:
Suyodhana, it was not your wisdom that led to many great warriors killing Abhimanyu in battle. How could this happen?
Remove your armor and headgear, brave one. Take whatever else you lack, O Bharata. I grant you this wish once more, hero.
Among the five sons of Pandu, the one you wish to fight here, if you kill him, you will indeed become king, or if you are killed, you will attain heaven. Without life, O hero, what can we do to please you in battle?
Sanjaya said:
Then your son, O king, took the golden armor and the beautifully adorned helmet.
Your son, O king, with his helmet securely fastened and adorned in beautiful golden armor, shone resplendently like a majestic golden mountain.
Armed with a mace and ready for battle, your son Duryodhana addressed all the Pandavas, O king.
I, one among your brothers, will fight with a mace, either with Sahadeva, Bhima, or Nakula.
Then, today, I will fight either with Arjuna or with you, O best of the Bharatas, and having reached the battlefield, I will emerge victorious.
Today, I shall go to the very challenging end of enmity, O tiger among men, armed with a mace bound with a golden belt.
In the battle of maces, consider that there is no one equal to me. With the mace, I shall slay all those who have gathered. Let him take up the mace who dares to fight with me today.
