Shloka 34
Adhyāya 104 — Śikhaṇḍin-puraskāraḥ (Śikhaṇḍin as Vanguard) and Bhīṣma’s Counter-Advance
उभयो: सदृशं कर्म स पितुर्मातुलस्य च । रणे बहुविध॑ चक्रे सर्वशस्त्रभूतां वर:
ubhayor sadṛśaṁ karma sa pitur mātulasya ca | raṇe bahuvidhaṁ cakre sarvaśastrabhūtāṁ varaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: That foremost of all wielders of weapons performed, in the midst of battle, many kinds of deeds of valor—deeds comparable to those of both his father and his maternal uncle. The verse underscores Abhimanyu’s inherited excellence and his steadfast resolve to match the standards set by his elders in righteous combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ideal of kṣatriya-duty: in a righteous battle, one should act with courage and skill, upholding the standards of dharma and the noble example of one’s elders. Abhimanyu’s conduct is presented as worthy of his lineage—measured against both father and maternal uncle.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Abhimanyu, the foremost among weapon-bearers, is performing many kinds of heroic feats in the battle, matching the prowess associated with his father and his maternal uncle.