Shloka 57
युधिष्ठिरस्य कृष्णार्जुनादि-समाश्वासनम्
Yudhiṣṭhira’s reassurance and praise of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, Bhīma, and Sātyaki
त॑ वै तथागतं दृष्ट्वा धृष्टद्युम्न: पराक्रमी । चापमुत्यृज्य शीघ्र तु असिं जग्राह वीर्यवान्,उनको उस अवस्थामें देखकर बल और पराक्रमसे सम्पन्न धृष्टद्युम्नने धनुष रख दिया और तुरंत ही तलवार हाथमें ले ली
taṁ vai tathāgataṁ dṛṣṭvā dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ parākrāmī | cāpam utyajya śīghraṁ tu asiṁ jagrāha vīryavān ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing him in that condition, the mighty and valiant Dhṛṣṭadyumna swiftly cast aside his bow and at once seized his sword—choosing close combat in the heat of battle, where resolve and responsibility for one’s action become immediate and personal.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In a dharma-yuddha setting, a warrior’s choice of weapon reflects readiness to meet consequences directly: Dhṛṣṭadyumna abandons distance-weapons and commits to immediate, face-to-face action, emphasizing resolve, accountability, and kṣatriya duty under pressure.
Sañjaya reports that Dhṛṣṭadyumna, seeing his opponent in a particular condition, quickly drops his bow and takes up a sword, signaling a shift from ranged fighting to close combat at a critical moment in the battle.