पश्यतां शतशो ह्य् आसीद् अन्योन्यसमचेतसाम् ॥
पाण्डवानां कुरूणां च साधु साध्व् इति निस्वनः ॥
न हि मद्राधिपाद् अन्यः सर्वराजसु भारत ॥
सोढुम् उत्सहते वेगं भीमसेनस्य संयुगे ॥
तथा मद्राधिपस्यापि गदावेगं महात्मनः ॥
सोढुम् उत्सहते लोके को ऽन्यो युधि वृकोदरात् ॥
paśyatāṃ śataśo hy āsīd anyonyasamacetasām ||
pāṇḍavānāṃ kurūṇāṃ ca sādhu sādhv iti nisvanaḥ ||
na hi madrādhipād anyaḥ sarvarājasu bhārata ||
soḍhum utsahate vegaṃ bhīmasenasya saṃyuge ||
tathā madrādhipasyāpi gadāvegaṃ mahātmanaḥ ||
soḍhum utsahate loke ko 'nyo yudhi vṛkodarāt ||
Among the many hundreds of onlookers of one accord — Pandavas and Kauravas alike — arose the cry "Splendid, splendid!" For no one other than the king of Madra [Shalya], among all kings, O Bharata, is able to withstand in battle the crushing onslaught of Bhimasena; and the mace-blow of the great-souled king of Madra — who else in the world is able to withstand it in combat, except Vrikodara [Bhima]?"
10718683eae6 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:00:04 PM UTC
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It is wondrous that spectators of both warring sides cry "splendid!" as one: before true valor, discord falls silent, and enemy applauds enemy. Thus greatness disarms enmity and unites, for a moment, those divided in a shared admiration. It is telling that the tale marks the uniqueness of each: only these two can withstand each other's blow — a true duel is a meeting of equals, in which the dignity of both shines forth. The verse teaches that valor wrests praise even from opponents; that the beauty of a heroic feat can for a moment reconcile the divided; and that true combat is not the humiliation of the enemy but the mutual manifestation of a greatness honored by all.