Shloka 2
भीमकर्णसमागमः | Bhīma–Karṇa Encounter
श्रीकृष्ण बोले--धनंजय! सबको लाँघकर सामने आये हुए इस दुर्योधनको देखो। मैं तो इसे अत्यन्त अद्भुत योद्धा मानता हूँ। इसके समान दूसरा कोई रथी नहीं है ।। दूरपाती महेष्वास: कृतास्त्रो युद्धदुर्मद: । दृढास्त्रश्चित्रयोधी च धार्तराष्ट्री महाबल:ः,यह महाबली धूृतराष्ट्रपुत्र दूरतकके लक्ष्यको मार गिरानेवाला, महान् धनुर्धर, अस्त्रविद्यामें निपुण और युद्धमें दुर्मद है। इसके अस्त्र-शस्त्र अत्यन्त सुदृढ़ हैं तथा यह विचित्र रीतिसे युद्ध करनेवाला है
śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca—dhanañjaya! sarvān laṅghayitvā sammukham āgatam imaṃ duryodhanaṃ paśya. aham enaṃ tu atyantam adbhuta-yoddhānaṃ manye; asya sadṛśo dvitīyo na kaścid rathī. dūrapātī maheṣvāsaḥ kṛtāstro yuddha-durmadaḥ | dṛḍhāstraś citra-yodhī ca dhārtarāṣṭrī mahābalaḥ ||
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: “Dhanañjaya, look at this Duryodhana who has overstepped all others and come straight to the front. I regard him as an extraordinarily formidable warrior; there is no other chariot-fighter equal to him. He is a long-range marksman, a great archer, fully trained in weapons, and intoxicated with the pride of battle. His missiles are unyielding, his style of fighting is unconventional, and as Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son he is possessed of great strength.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even an adversary’s strength should be recognized without denial. Clear-eyed appraisal—free from contempt or wishful thinking—is an ethical and strategic discipline in war: it restrains reckless pride and prepares one to act with steadiness and responsibility.
Kṛṣṇa draws Arjuna’s attention to Duryodhana, who has advanced to the forefront. He characterizes him as a powerful, highly trained, long-range archer with strong weapons and unconventional tactics, emphasizing the seriousness of the threat on the battlefield.