Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 4
Adhyāya 61: Saṃmohana-astra and the Kuru Withdrawal (संमोहनास्त्रं तथा कुरुनिवृत्तिः)
नाहं शक्ष्यामि वीरेह नियन्तुं ते हयोत्तमान् । विषीदन्ति मम प्राणा मनो विह्ललतीव मे
nāhaṃ śakṣyāmi vīreha niyantuṃ te hayottamān | viṣīdanti mama prāṇā mano vihlalatīva me ||
“হে বীর! এখানে আমি তোমার উৎকৃষ্ট ঘোড়াগুলিকে আর নিয়ন্ত্রণ করতে পারব না। আমার প্রাণশক্তি ক্ষীণ হয়ে আসছে, আর আমার মন যেন ব্যাকুল হয়ে উঠেছে।”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a dharmic cause, the body and mind can falter under extreme danger; acknowledging one’s limits becomes part of ethical action, prompting the need for steadiness, support, or a more capable agent to carry out duty without collapse.
In the midst of battle, the speaker reports a warrior’s charioteer (or attendant) confessing that he can no longer control the team of horses because his life-breaths are failing and his mind is overwhelmed, signaling a critical moment of vulnerability during combat.