Shloka 11
अर्जुनकर्णयोर्युद्धवर्णनम्
Description of the Arjuna–Karṇa Engagement and Counsel to Duryodhana
संजय उवाच तद् भीमसेनस्य वचो निशम्य सुदुष्करं भ्रातुरमित्रमध्ये । संशप्तकानीकमसहामेक: सुदुष्करं धारयामीति पार्थ:
sañjaya uvāca | tad bhīmasenasya vaco niśamya suduṣkaraṃ bhrātur amitra-madhye | saṃśaptakānīkam asaham ekaḥ suduṣkaraṃ dhārayāmīti pārthaḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: „O König, mitten unter den Feinden vernahm Pārtha (Arjuna) den überaus schweren Entschluss seines Bruders Bhīmasena: ‚Allein werde ich das unerträgliche Heer der Saṃśaptakas aufhalten; ich werde diese harte Last tragen.‘ Und er nahm es sich zu Herzen.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the dharmic gravity of a warrior’s spoken resolve: once a pledge is made in a righteous cause, one must be prepared to endure what is ‘suduṣkara’—extremely difficult—without wavering, especially in protection of one’s kin and duty.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīma declares he will single-handedly face the formidable Saṃśaptaka force amid the enemy. Arjuna hears this daunting vow and registers its seriousness, setting the stage for subsequent coordination among the Pāṇḍavas in the battle context.