Shloka 276
भीष्मस्य अप्रतिमपराक्रमः — शिखण्डिपुरस्कृतः प्रहारः
Bhīṣma’s unmatched momentum and the assault with Śikhaṇḍin in the lead
दुःशासनर थं प्राप्य यत् पार्थो नात्यवर्तत । प्रजानाथ! वहाँ हमने सबसे अद्भुत और विचित्र बात यह देखी कि अर्जुन दुःशासनके रथके पास पहुँचकर वहाँसे आगे न बढ़ सके
Duḥśāsana-rathaṁ prāpya yat pārtho nātyavartata.
Sañjaya said: When Pārtha (Arjuna) reached Duḥśāsana’s chariot, he did not press beyond it. O lord of men, we witnessed there something most astonishing and strange—that Arjuna, having come up to Duḥśāsana’s car, could not advance further.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid battle, action is not merely physical force; it is constrained by inner resolve, dharma, and circumstance. The verse highlights a moment where a famed warrior’s advance is checked, prompting reflection on the limits placed on human agency in a moral conflict.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna reached Duḥśāsana’s chariot but did not go beyond it. The onlookers find this unexpected and ‘strange,’ since Arjuna is known for unstoppable prowess, making his halt a noteworthy turn in the battle scene.