Shloka 18

Devanagari script

एकादशैता: पृतना एकतश्न समागता: । एकतश्च महाबाहुर्बहुरूपी धनंजय:,'ये कौरवोंकी ग्यारह अक्षौहिणी सेनाएँ एक ओरसे आवें और दूसरी ओर केवल अनेक रूपधारी- महाबाहु अर्जुन हों, तो वे अकेले ही इन सबके लिये पर्याप्त हैं

Transliteration

ekādaśaitāḥ pṛtanā ekataś ca samāgatāḥ | ekataś ca mahābāhur bahurūpī dhanañjayaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Quand bien même ces onze armées se rassembleraient d’un côté, et que de l’autre ne se tiendrait que Dhanañjaya Arjuna—aux bras puissants, capable de prendre maintes formes—, lui seul suffirait à les affronter toutes.»

Word by Word

एकादशeleven

एताःthese

पृतनाःarmies

एकतःon one side

समागताःassembled / come together

एकतःon one side

चand

महाबाहुःmighty-armed

बहुरूपीof many forms

धनंजयःDhanañjaya (Arjuna)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna (Dhanañjaya)

Kaurava armies (eleven akṣauhiṇīs, implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Numerical superiority is not decisive when opposed by a single warrior of extraordinary capability and righteous resolve; the verse highlights the primacy of inner strength, skill, and dharmic backing over mere quantity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a stark contrast of forces: the Kauravas’ eleven battle-hosts on one side, and Arjuna alone on the other, emphasizing Arjuna’s formidable power and readiness to confront overwhelming opposition.