Shloka 44
अध्याय ८० — मध्यंदिन-रणवृत्तान्तः
Yudhiṣṭhira–Śrutāyu encounter; Cekitāna–Gautama clash; Abhimanyu pressure; Arjuna’s redeployment
समभ्युदीर्णाश्व॒ तवात्मजांस्तथा निशम्य वीरानभित: स्थितान् रणे । जिघांसुरुग्रं द्रपदात्मजो युवा प्रमोहनास्त्रं युयुजे महारथ:
saṃabhyudīrṇāśva tava ātmajāṃs tathā niśamya vīrān abhitaḥ sthitān raṇe | jighāṃsur ugraṃ drapadātmajo yuvā pramohanāstraṃ yuyuje mahārathaḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: O König, als er vernahm, dass deine Söhne, deren Pferde aufgestachelt waren, mit Macht vorandrängten, und als er die Helden ringsum auf dem Schlachtfeld aufgestellt sah, setzte der junge Sohn Drupadas—auf ihre Vernichtung bedacht—die schreckliche Waffe Pramohana ein, die den Geist betäubt und die Urteilskraft vernebelt.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how, once the intent to kill dominates, warriors resort to fearsome means that can cloud awareness (pramohana). It implicitly warns that in war, ethical clarity is easily lost when victory is pursued through delusion-inducing tactics rather than straightforward valor.
Sañjaya reports that Dhrṣṭadyumna, seeing Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons advancing and warriors arrayed around, decides to strike decisively and uses the Pramohana weapon to stupefy or bewilder the opposing forces on the battlefield.