Shloka 17
Abhimanyu-śravaṇa-prastāva and Cakravyūha-vinyāsa
Prelude to Abhimanyu’s Account and the Wheel-Formation Deployment
ततोडअर्जुनस्याथ परै: सार्थ समभवद् रण: । तादृशो यादृशो नान्य: श्रुतो दृष्टो5पि वा क्वचित्,वहाँ अर्जुनका शत्रुओंके साथ ऐसा घोर संग्राम हुआ, जैसा दूसरा कोई कहीं न तो देखा गया है और न सुना ही गया है
tato 'rjunasya atha paraiḥ sārthaṃ samabhavad raṇaḥ | tādṛśo yādṛśo nānyaḥ śruto dṛṣṭo 'pi vā kvacit ||
Sanjaya said: Then Arjuna engaged the enemy in battle, and a fierce combat arose. It was of such a kind that nothing like it had ever been heard of or seen anywhere—an encounter unparalleled in memory, marking the terrible intensity of war and the extraordinary prowess brought forth on that day.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the extraordinary and overwhelming nature of war: when dharma collapses into armed conflict, events can exceed ordinary human measure—becoming ‘unheard-of and unseen.’ It also highlights the epic theme of testimony (heard/seen), reminding the reader that such moments are preserved through witness and narration.
Sanjaya reports that Arjuna meets the opposing warriors in direct combat, and an exceptionally fierce battle erupts—so intense that it is described as unparalleled, beyond anything previously known by report or personal sight.