Shloka 2
Kṛṣṇopadeśa and Duryodhana’s Challenge
Droṇa-parva, Adhyāya 77
अस्त्रमस्त्रेण सर्वेषामेतेषां मधुसूदन । मया द्रक्ष्यसि निर्भिन्नं जयद्रथवधैषिणा
astram astreṇa sarveṣām eteṣāṃ madhusūdana | mayā drakṣyasi nirbhinnaṃ jayadratha-vadhaiṣiṇā ||
O Madhusūdana, you shall witness me shattering the weapons of all these warriors with counter-weapons, for I am resolved upon the slaying of Jayadratha. In this vow-driven fury, Arjuna frames his combat not as mere display of prowess but as a morally charged necessity tied to his pledged duty and the demands of justice in war.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights vow-bound duty in a dharmic war: Arjuna’s resolve is not mere anger but a pledged commitment to restore justice, pursued with disciplined skill (weapon answered by counter-weapon) under Kṛṣṇa’s witnessing guidance.
Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa, declaring that he will neutralize the weapons of the opposing warriors and press forward, because he is intent on killing Jayadratha—an urgent objective that drives the day’s battle strategy and intensity.