Shloka 34
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration
Sañjaya’s Report
प्रभद्रका: शीघ्रतरा युवानो विशारदा: सिंहसमानवीर्या: । यदा क्षेप्तारो धार्तराष्ट्रानू ससैन्यां- स्तदा युद्ध धार्तराष्ट्रोडन्वतप्स्यत्,अस्त्र-संचालनमें शीघ्रता दिखानेवाले, युद्धविशारद तथा सिंहके समान पराक्रमी प्रभद्रकदेशीय नवयुवक जब सेनासहित धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रोंकोी मार भगायेंगे, उस समय दुर्योधनको यह सोचकर बड़ा पश्चात्ताप होगा कि मैंने क्यों युद्ध छेड़ा?
sañjaya uvāca |
prabhadrakāḥ śīghratarā yuvāno viśāradāḥ siṃhasamānavīryāḥ |
yadā kṣeptāro dhārtarāṣṭrān sa-sainyāṃs tadā yuddhe dhārtarāṣṭro 'nutapsyati ||
Sañjaya said: “The Prabhadraka youths—swift in action, skilled in the arts of war, and lion-like in valor—when they hurl down the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra together with their forces and drive them back, then in the midst of battle Duryodhana will burn with remorse, thinking, ‘Why did I begin this war?’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Aggression rooted in pride and injustice leads to foreseeable suffering: when capable opponents strike back, the instigator is left with remorse. The verse underscores ethical causality—choosing war against dharma brings bitter consequences.
Sañjaya foretells battlefield outcomes: the swift, war-skilled Prabhadraka youths will rout the Dhārtarāṣṭras along with their troops, and Duryodhana will feel intense regret for having initiated the conflict.