Shloka 873
अन्योन्यं समुदीक्षन्ते धार्तराष्ट्रस्य तेजसा । “अन्य सब नरेश इन्हींके योग-क्षेममें लगे हुए हैं। भद्रे! देख, इस समय पाण्डव दुर्योधनके तेजसे एक साथ ही नष्टप्राय होकर एक-दूसरेका मुँह देख रहे हैं
anyonyam samudīkṣante dhārtarāṣṭrasya tejasā |
Sañjaya said: “Overpowered by the blazing might of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son, they look at one another in helplessness. All the other kings are absorbed in securing his welfare; see, even the Pāṇḍavas now seem nearly undone at once by Duryodhana’s radiance, merely staring at each other’s faces.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how sheer tejas (martial brilliance and commanding presence) can sway alliances and crush morale, reminding readers that power can create collective dependence (yoga-kṣema) and psychological collapse—an ethical warning about kingship founded primarily on force rather than dharma.
Sañjaya describes a battlefield moment where Duryodhana’s perceived might dominates the scene: other rulers focus on his security and success, while the Pāṇḍavas are portrayed as nearly overwhelmed, reduced to exchanging anxious looks rather than acting decisively.