Shloka 48
Kaurava Mobilization at Kurukṣetra (Duryodhana Orders War Preparations) / कुरुक्षेत्रे धार्तराष्ट्र-सैन्यसज्जा
अतः आप अपनी सेनाको युद्धके लिये अच्छी तरहसे सुसज्जित कीजिये; क्योंकि मेरे मतमें वे शत्रुवधसे ही वशीभूत हो सकते हैं। वीर अर्जुन
sāravad balam asmākaṁ duṣpradharṣa durāsadam | dhārtarāṣṭrabalaṁ saṅkhye haniṣyati na saṁśayaḥ ||
Therefore, prepare your army well for war; for in my judgment they can be mastered only by the slaying of the foe. When Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons behold Arjuna the hero; Bhīmasena, wrathful like Yamarāja; Nakula and Sahadeva; the unyielding Dhṛṣṭadyumna with Sātyaki; Abhimanyu; Draupadī’s five sons; Virāṭa and Drupada; and other dreadful, mighty kings—lords of akṣauhiṇī hosts—arrayed for battle, they will not stand upon the field. Our force is great, well-knit, hard to assail and hard to approach; in the clash it will strike down Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s army—of this there is no doubt.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes disciplined strength and unwavering resolve: a well-organized, formidable force—guided by firm conviction—can overcome an opposing army. Ethically, it reflects the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness in a just conflict and the psychological necessity of confidence before battle.
In the Udyoga Parva’s war-preparation context, the speaker asserts the superiority and impregnability of ‘our’ side’s forces and predicts the defeat of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s army in the coming battle, reinforcing morale and determination.