Shloka 17
Śikhaṇḍin’s Transformation, Daśārṇa Verification, and Kubera’s Conditional Curse
Udyoga Parva 193
वेदान्तावभूथस्नाता: सर्व एतेड5पराजिता: । निहन्यु: समरे सेनां देवानामपि पाण्डव
vedāntāvabhṛthasnātāḥ sarva ete 'parājitāḥ | nihanyuḥ samare senāṃ devānām api pāṇḍava ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “All these men have completed their Vedic study and have performed the concluding bath of the sacrifice. They are warriors who have never been overcome. O son of Pāṇḍu, in battle they could destroy even the army of the gods.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links inner discipline (completion of Vedic study and sacrificial rites) with outer capability (invincible martial power), implying that true strength is grounded in dharmic training and self-mastery, not mere aggression.
Yudhiṣṭhira is emphasizing the formidable, dharma-trained nature of the warriors on the Pāṇḍava side, asserting that they are so powerful and resolute that they could defeat even a divine host—an argument meant to underscore the seriousness of the impending conflict and the need for wise counsel.