Shloka 14
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
जघान परमक्रुद्धो नृत्यन्निव महारथ: । साथ ही कृपाचार्यके स्वर्णभूषित धनुषको भी तेज धारवाले भालासे काट गिराया; फिर सब ओर घूमकर नृत्य-सा करते हुए महारथी अभिमन्युने अत्यन्त कुपित हो तीखी नोकवाले बाणोंसे भीष्मकी रक्षा करनेवाले उन महारथियोंको भी घायल कर दिया ।।
sañjaya uvāca |
jaghāna paramakruddho nṛtyann iva mahārathaḥ |
tasya lāghavam udīkṣya tutuṣur devatā api |
abhimanyor hastānāṃ lāghavaṃ dṛṣṭvā devatā api prītā babhūvuḥ; arjunaputrasya lakṣyavedhasya saphalatayā prabhāvitā bhīṣmādayaḥ sarve rathinaḥ taṃ sākṣād arjunavat śaktimantam amanyanta |
Sañjaya said: Enraged, the great chariot-warrior struck down his foes, wheeling about as if in a dance. Seeing Abhimanyu’s swift-handed skill, even the gods were delighted. And the chariot-fighters—Bhīṣma and the rest—impressed by the son of Arjuna’s sure aim, judged him to be powerful like Arjuna himself. In the ethical frame of the epic, the verse highlights how disciplined mastery in battle (even amid fury) earns recognition across worlds, while also foreshadowing the heavy moral cost of such prowess on a field governed by dharma and its violations.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Excellence in one’s discipline—here, controlled agility and precision in battle—naturally draws recognition, even from higher witnesses (the gods). Yet the Mahābhārata’s ethical horizon reminds the reader that martial brilliance must still be weighed against dharma, because victory and praise do not automatically equal righteousness.
Sañjaya describes Abhimanyu fighting with furious energy and remarkable agility, moving around like a dancer on the battlefield. His speed and accurate shooting impress the gods, and Bhīṣma and other senior warriors conclude that Abhimanyu’s power and skill are comparable to Arjuna’s.