Shloka 52
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 25 — Bhīma’s Disruption of Elephant Formations and Bhagadatta’s Shock Advance
युध्यन्तौ कृपवार्ष्णेयौ येडपश्यंश्रित्रयोधिनौ । ते युद्धासक्तमनसो नानयां बुबुधिरे क्रियाम्,कृपाचार्य और वृष्णिवंशी वीर वार्थक्षेमि विचित्र रीतिसे युद्ध करनेवाले थे। जिन लोगोंने उन दोनोंको युद्ध करते देखा, उनका मन उसीमें आसक्त हो गया। उन्हें दूसरी किसी क्रियाका भान नहीं रहा
sañjaya uvāca | yudhyantau kṛpavārṣṇeyau ye ’paśyañ śastrayodhinau | te yuddhāsaktamanaso nānyāṃ bubudhire kriyām ||
Sañjaya said: Those who watched Kṛpa and the Vārṣṇeya warrior locked in combat—both skilled fighters with weapons—found their minds seized by the spectacle of battle. Absorbed in the clash, they became unaware of any other action or duty around them.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how the mind can become captivated by violent spectacle: fascination and attachment (āsakti) narrow awareness, making people forget other responsibilities and moral considerations. It implicitly warns that attention itself can be ethically consequential—what one dwells on can eclipse discernment.
Sañjaya describes a striking duel between Kṛpa and a Vārṣṇeya warrior. The fight is so intense and skillful that spectators become wholly absorbed, losing awareness of anything else occurring on the battlefield.