Shloka 23
Adhyāya 17 — गजयुद्ध-वृत्तान्तः, सहदेव-दुःशासन-संघर्षः, नकुल-कर्ण-समागमः
Elephant-battle account; Sahadeva–Duhshasana clash; Nakula–Karna encounter
अथार्जुनं स्वे परिवार्य सैनिका: पुरन्दरं देवगणा इवाब्रुवन् अभैष्म यस्मान्मरणादिदव प्रजा: स वीर दिष्टया निहतस्त्वया रिपु:
athārjunaṃ sve parivārya sainikāḥ purandaraṃ devagaṇā ivābruvan | abhaiṣma yasmān maraṇād iva prajāḥ sa vīra diṣṭyā nihatastvayā ripuḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: Da umringten ihn die eigenen Krieger und sprachen wie die Scharen der Götter, die Purandara (Indra) umstehen: „O Held! Der Feind, den wir fürchteten—wie Untertanen den Tod fürchten—ist durch dein glückliches Geschick von dir erschlagen worden.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical-emotional dimension of battle: when a community is threatened by a formidable aggressor, the warrior who removes that danger is praised not merely for strength but for restoring collective security. The comparison to subjects fearing death underscores how fear can dominate a group, and how decisive action can relieve it.
After a significant enemy has been slain by Arjuna, his own side’s soldiers gather around him and congratulate him. They liken themselves to the gods surrounding Indra, and declare that the foe they dreaded as people dread death has now been killed by Arjuna, which they call a matter of great good fortune.