Shloka 4
Duryodhana Seeks Droṇa’s Counsel; Imperative to Protect Jayadratha; Pāñcāla Assault on Duryodhana
तेषां नैष्फल्यमालोक्य पुनर्नव च पञ्च च । प्राहिणोन्निशितान् बाणांस्ते चाभ्रश्यन्त वर्मण:,उन्हें निष्फल हुआ देख अर्जुनने पुनः चौदह तीखे बाण चलाये; परंतु वे भी कवचसे फिसल गये
teṣāṃ naiṣphalyam ālokya punar nava ca pañca ca | prāhiṇon niśitān bāṇāṃs te cābhraśyanta varmaṇaḥ ||
قال سنجيا: لمّا رأى أن المحاولة قد ذهبت سُدى، أطلق ثانيةً أربعَ عشرةَ سَهْمًا حادًّا؛ غير أنّها هي الأخرى انزلقت عن الدِّرع ولم تُحدِث أثرًا. ويُبرز هذا الموضع أنّ في القتال لا يكفي بذلُ الجهد وحده—فالحمايةُ والاستعدادُ والحدودُ التي تفرضها الظروف قد تجعل حتى الفعلَ الماهرَ عديمَ الجدوى.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the limits of sheer effort in warfare: even well-aimed, sharp arrows can become ineffective when met by strong protection. Ethically, it points to the need for discernment and adaptation—when actions repeatedly fail, one must reassess means rather than rely only on increased force.
Sañjaya describes a moment in the battle where Arjuna, noticing that the previous attempt was unsuccessful, releases fourteen sharp arrows. However, those arrows do not penetrate; they are deflected or slip off the opponent’s armour.