Shloka 17
Abhimanyu-śravaṇa-prastāva and Cakravyūha-vinyāsa
Prelude to Abhimanyu’s Account and the Wheel-Formation Deployment
ततोडअर्जुनस्याथ परै: सार्थ समभवद् रण: । तादृशो यादृशो नान्य: श्रुतो दृष्टो5पि वा क्वचित्,वहाँ अर्जुनका शत्रुओंके साथ ऐसा घोर संग्राम हुआ, जैसा दूसरा कोई कहीं न तो देखा गया है और न सुना ही गया है
tato 'rjunasya atha paraiḥ sārthaṃ samabhavad raṇaḥ | tādṛśo yādṛśo nānyaḥ śruto dṛṣṭo 'pi vā kvacit ||
Sañjaya dit : Alors Arjuna engagea l’ennemi, et un combat farouche s’éleva. Il fut tel que rien de semblable n’avait jamais été entendu ni vu nulle part : une rencontre sans égale, signe de l’effroyable intensité de la guerre et de la prouesse extraordinaire déployée ce jour-là.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the extraordinary and overwhelming nature of war: when dharma collapses into armed conflict, events can exceed ordinary human measure—becoming ‘unheard-of and unseen.’ It also highlights the epic theme of testimony (heard/seen), reminding the reader that such moments are preserved through witness and narration.
Sanjaya reports that Arjuna meets the opposing warriors in direct combat, and an exceptionally fierce battle erupts—so intense that it is described as unparalleled, beyond anything previously known by report or personal sight.