Shloka 19
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 95 — Sātyaki’s Breakthrough and the Routing of Allied Contingents
प्रत्याश्वस्तस्तु बीभत्सु: शनकैरिव भारत । प्रेतराजपुरं प्राप्प पुन: प्रत्यागतो यथा,भारत! फिर अर्जुन धीरे-धीरे सचेत हुए, मानो यमराजके नगरमें पहुँचकर पुनः वहाँसे लौटे हों
pratyāśvastas tu bībhatsuḥ śanakair iva bhārata | pretarājapuraṃ prāpya punaḥ pratyāgato yathā ||
Sañjaya said: O Bhārata, Arjuna (Bībhatsu), having regained his breath and composure, slowly returned to full awareness—like one who has reached the city of Yama, lord of the departed, and then come back again. The image shows how near to death he had come, and how extraordinary his recovery was amid the extremity of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of life in war and the extraordinary nature of recovery from the brink of death. By comparing Arjuna’s return to one who has reached Yama’s abode and come back, it evokes ethical reflection on the cost of battle and the steadfastness required to continue one’s duty (dharma) amid extreme peril.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna, after being overwhelmed (as if nearly dead), gradually regains consciousness and steadiness. The simile of returning from Yama’s city conveys that Arjuna had come very close to death but has now revived.