Shloka 30
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration
Sañjaya’s Report
ह्वीनिषेवो निपुण: सत्यवादी महाबल: सर्वधर्मोपपन्न: । गान्धारिमार्च्छ॑स्तुमुले क्षिप्रकारी क्षेप्ता जनान् सहदेवस्तरस्वी,लज्जाशील, युद्धकुशल, सत्यवादी, महाबली, सर्वधर्मसम्पन्न, वेगवान् तथा शीघ्रतापूर्वक बाण चलानेवाले सहदेव जब घमासान युद्धमें शकुनिपर आक्रमण करके शत्रुओंके सैनिकोंका संहार करने लगेंगे तथा जब दुर्योधन महाधनुर्धर शूरवीर अस्त्रविद्यामें निपुण तथा रथयुद्धकी कलामें कुशल द्रौपदीके पाँचों पुत्रोंकी भयंकर विषवाले विषधर सर्पोंकी भाँति आक्रमण करते देखेगा, तब उसे युद्ध छेड़नेकी भूलपर भारी पश्चात्ताप होगा
sañjaya uvāca | hrī-niṣevo nipuṇaḥ satyavādī mahābalaḥ sarva-dharmopapannaḥ | gāndhārim ārcchastumule kṣiprakārī kṣeptā janān sahadevas tarasvī ||
Sañjaya said: Sahadeva—modest in conduct, skilled, truthful, mighty, and endowed with every virtue—swift in action and forceful in onset, will in the thick of battle rush upon the Gandhāran (Śakuni) and, hurling his shafts, will cut down the enemy ranks. And when Duryodhana sees the five sons of Draupadī—terrible like venomous serpents—charging in the chariot-fight with expert weapon-skill, he will bitterly regret the folly of having provoked this war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames martial prowess within dharma: true strength is paired with truthfulness, modest restraint, and comprehensive virtue. It also warns that initiating unjust conflict leads to inevitable remorse when the consequences—embodied by righteous, capable opponents—unfold.
Sanjaya foretells battlefield events: Sahadeva, swift and forceful, will surge against the Gandhāran leader (Śakuni) and devastate enemy troops. Seeing the ferocity and skill of Draupadī’s five sons in chariot warfare, Duryodhana will realize too late the grave mistake of provoking war.