Shloka 13
विराटसभायां पाण्डवानां प्रवेशः — Arjuna’s Encomium of Yudhiṣṭhira in Virāṭa’s Court
दृष्टवैव पार्थेन हतं च नागं योधांश्व सर्वान् द्रवतो निशम्य । रथं समावृत्य कुरुप्रवीरो रणात् प्रदुद्राव यतो न पार्थ:
dṛṣṭvaiva pārthena hataṃ ca nāgaṃ yodhāṃś ca sarvān dravato niśamya | rathaṃ samāvṛtya kurupravīro raṇāt pradudrāva yato na pārthaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Als er sah, dass der Elefant von Pārtha erschlagen worden war, und hörte, dass alle Krieger flohen, wandte auch der vornehmste Held der Kurus seinen Wagen und rannte vom Schlachtfeld davon—dorthin, wo Pārtha (Arjuna) nicht war. Die Szene zeigt, wie Furcht und Selbsterhaltungstrieb den Kriegerkodex überdecken können, wenn man einer unbestreitbaren Überlegenheit im Kampf gegenübersteht.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a tension within kṣatriya-dharma: valor and steadfastness are praised, yet in the face of overwhelming prowess and collapsing morale, even a leading warrior chooses flight. It illustrates how fear and strategic self-preservation can override ideals of heroic conduct, inviting reflection on the fragility of resolve in war.
After Arjuna (Pārtha) kills a great elephant and the rest of the fighters begin to flee, Duryodhana—described as the foremost Kuru hero—turns his chariot away and escapes from the battlefield, deliberately choosing a direction where Arjuna is not present.