Shloka 38
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration
Sañjaya’s Report
ज्येष्ठं मात्स्यमनृशंसार्यरूपं विराटपुत्र॑ रथिनं पुरस्तात् । यदा द्रष्टा दंशितं पाण्डवार्थे तदा युद्ध धार्तराष्ट्रोडन्वतप्स्यत्
jyeṣṭhaṃ mātsyam anṛśaṃsārya-rūpaṃ virāṭa-putraṃ rathinaṃ purastāt | yadā draṣṭā daṃśitaṃ pāṇḍavārthe tadā yuddhe dhārtarāṣṭro ’nvatapsyat, saumya ||
Sañjaya sprach: „Vorn steht der älteste Prinz von Matsya—Virāṭas Sohn—ein hervorragender Wagenkämpfer, edel im Wandel und sanft von Natur. Wenn Dhṛtarāṣṭras Sohn (Duryodhana) ihn zum Wohl der Pāṇḍavas bewaffnet und gerüstet sieht, dann wird er, o Gütiger, innerlich gequält sein, da er den bitteren Ausgang des Krieges vorausahnt.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral weight of war: when righteous allies stand armed for a just cause, the aggressor is troubled by the anticipated consequences. It underscores that adharma-driven conflict brings inner torment even before the battle is fought.
Sañjaya describes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the presence of Virāṭa’s eldest son, a noble chariot-warrior of Matsya, standing ready in support of the Pāṇḍavas. He predicts that Duryodhana, seeing this formidable ally armed for the Pāṇḍavas, will feel deep anxiety and distress about the war’s outcome.