Mahabharata 7.161.7 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 161, Shloka 7
अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa
Chapter 161
यं हि कृष्णेन सहित सर्वशस्त्रभूृतां वरम् । जेतुं न शक्ता: सहिता: सेन्द्रा अपि सुरसुरा:
yaṁ hi kṛṣṇena sahitaṁ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṁ varam | jetuṁ na śaktāḥ sahitāḥ sendrā api surāsurāḥ, durbuddhe! sūta! yo sampūrṇa-śastradhāriṇīṁ śreṣṭhaḥ tathā śrīkṛṣṇena saha vartamāne yaṁ indra-sahitaḥ sampūrṇā devāḥ asurāś ca api jetuṁ na samarthāḥ, tam eva loke ekamātram aparājitaṁ vīram arjunaṁ jetuṁ rājabhiḥ sahitaḥ tava kā śaktiḥ?
সঞ্জয় বললেন—হে দুর্বুদ্ধি সূত! শ্রীকৃষ্ণের সহিত যে অর্জুন সর্বশস্ত্রধারীদের মধ্যে শ্রেষ্ঠ, তাঁকে ইন্দ্রসহ দেবগণ ও অসুরগণ একত্র হয়েও জয় করতে পারে না। সেই লোকের একমাত্র অপরাজিত বীর অর্জুনকে এই রাজাদের সঙ্গে নিয়েও তুই কোন শক্তিতে পরাস্ত করবি?
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical danger of overconfidence in war: when righteousness and divine support (Kṛṣṇa’s presence) align with exceptional skill (Arjuna), mere numbers and alliances cannot guarantee victory. It cautions against hubris and urges realistic discernment of strength and moral backing.
Sañjaya rebukes a charioteer (sūta), stressing that Arjuna—especially when accompanied by Kṛṣṇa—is beyond the conquering power of even the combined gods and demons. He therefore questions how the opposing side, even with many kings, could hope to defeat Arjuna.
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