Shloka 1
अर्जुनकर्णयोर्युद्धवर्णनम्
Description of the Arjuna–Karṇa Engagement and Counsel to Duryodhana
अफड-ए क्र पजञज्चषष्टितमो< ध्याय: भीमसेनको युद्धका भार सौंपकर श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुनका युधिष्ठिरके पास जाना संजय उवाच द्रौणिं पराजित्य ततोडग्रधन्वा कृत्वा महद् दुष्करं शूरकर्म । आलोकयामास ततः: स्वसैन्यं धनंजय: शत्रुभिरप्रधृष्य:,संजय कहते हैं--महाराज! तदनन्तर उत्तम धनुष धारण करनेवाले तथा शत्रुओंके लिये अजेय अर्जुनने दूसरोंके लिये दुष्कर वीरोचित कर्म करके अश्वत्थामाको हराकर फिर अपनी सेनाका निरीक्षण किया
sañjaya uvāca | drauṇiṁ parājitya tato 'gradhanvā kṛtvā mahad duṣkaraṁ śūra-karma | ālokayāmāsa tataḥ sva-sainyaṁ dhanañjayaḥ śatrubhir apradhṛṣyaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “O King, thereafter Arjuna—bearing the foremost bow and unassailable by his foes—having defeated Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman) and having accomplished a great deed of heroic difficulty, surveyed his own army.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of performing difficult duties with courage and then exercising responsible leadership—after victory, a warrior-leader must assess the condition of his own forces rather than be carried away by triumph.
Sañjaya reports that Arjuna has just overcome Aśvatthāman in battle; having completed this hard heroic feat, Arjuna turns to inspect the state of the Pāṇḍava army.