Shloka 5
! ४ है उस पक * हि ० ततो$भिमन्यु: प्रहसन् सारथिं वाक्यमत्रवीत् । सारथे को न्वयं द्रोण: समग्रं क्षत्रमेव वा,तब अभिमन्युने हँसते-हँसते सारथिसे इस प्रकार कहा--'सारथे! इन द्रोणाचार्य अथवा सम्पूर्ण क्षत्रिय-मण्डलकी तो बात ही क्या, मैं तो ऐरावत पर चढ़े हुए सम्पूर्ण देवगणों-सहित इन्द्रके अथवा समस्त प्राणियोंद्वारा पूजित एवं सबके ईश्वर रुद्रदेवके साथ भी सामने खड़ा होकर युद्ध कर सकता हूँ। अत: इस समय इस क्षत्रियसमूहके साथ युद्ध करनेमें मुझे आज कोई आश्चर्य नहीं हो रहा है
tato 'bhimanyuḥ prahasan sārathiṁ vākyam abravīt | sārathē ko nv ayaṁ droṇaḥ samagraṁ kṣatram eva vā |
Sañjaya said: Then Abhimanyu, smiling, spoke to his charioteer: “Charioteer, what is this Droṇa to me—or even the whole body of kṣatriyas? I could stand before Indra with all the gods, mounted on Airāvata, or even before Rudra, the Lord worshipped by all beings, and still fight. Therefore, I find nothing astonishing in battling this host of warriors today.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds kṣatriya courage and steadfastness in battle, while implicitly warning that heroic confidence must be tempered by discernment; fearlessness is praised, but dismissing formidable opponents can slide into overconfidence with grave consequences in war.
As the battle intensifies under Droṇa’s command, Abhimanyu, smiling, reassures and rallies his charioteer by belittling Droṇa and even the entire warrior host as not astonishing opponents for him, declaring his readiness to face even divine adversaries.