Shloka 57
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration
Sañjaya’s Report
यदा विपाठा मद्भुजविप्रमुक्ता द्विजा: फलानीव महीरुहाग्रात् प्रचेतार उत्तमाड़ानि यूनां तदा युद्ध धार्तराष्ट्रोडन्वतप्स्यत्
sañjaya uvāca | yadā vipāṭhā mad-bhuja-vipramuktā dvijāḥ phalānīva mahīruhāgrāt pracetāra uttamāṅgāni yūnāṃ tadā yuddhe dhārtarāṣṭro 'nutapsyate |
Sañjaya sprach: „Wenn die Vipāṭha-Pfeile, aus meinen Armen gelöst, die Häupter junger Krieger abscheren und zu Haufen türmen—wie Vögel Früchte von den Wipfeln der Bäume schlagen und sie am Boden aufschichten—dann wird Duryodhana, der Sohn Dhṛtarāṣṭras, beim Anblick dieses Gemetzels im Kampf von bitterer Reue gepackt werden.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the moral logic of consequence: when one drives events toward unjust war, the inevitable suffering returns as remorse. It foreshadows that Duryodhana’s choices will culminate in visible devastation, awakening regret too late to prevent harm.
Sañjaya describes a future battlefield scene: arrows called Vipāṭha, shot with great force, will decapitate young fighters, piling heads like fallen fruit. Seeing this carnage, Duryodhana (Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son) will be overwhelmed with repentance.