उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ५४: दुर्योधनस्य धृतराष्ट्रं प्रति बलप्रशंसन-युक्तः आश्वासनवादः
Duryodhana’s Reassurance and Force-Praise to Dhritarashtra
परेषां तन्ममाचक्ष्व यदि वेत्थ परंतप । शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले भरतनन्दन! अर्जुन और भीमसेनके मारे जानेपर शत्रुओंके दलमें दूसरा कौन ऐसा वीर है, जो युद्ध कर सकेगा? यदि आप किसीको जानते हों तो बताइये ।।
pareṣāṃ tan mamācakṣva yadi vettha parantapa | pañca te bhrātaraḥ sarve dhṛṣṭadyumno 'tha sātyakiḥ ||
قال دوريوذانا: «أخبرني عن الآخرين—إن كنت تعلم حقًّا، يا مُحرق الأعداء. إخوتك الخمسة جميعاً هناك، ومعهم دريشتاديومنا وساتياكي. فإذا قُتل أرجونا وبهيمسينا، فمن ذا في جيش العدو يبقى بطلاً قادراً على مواصلة القتال؟»
दुर्योधन उवाच
The verse highlights a kṣatriya-centered view of war where outcomes are imagined as hinging on key champions; it also reveals how pride and strategic calculation can reduce a complex moral conflict to the elimination of principal heroes.
Duryodhana questions his interlocutor about the remaining strength of the Pāṇḍava side, naming the five brothers along with Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Sātyaki, and asks who would still be able to fight effectively if Arjuna and Bhīma were killed.