Shloka 14
अर्जुन-माहात्म्य-चिन्ता
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Arjuna’s Strategic Supremacy
शेषयेदशनिर्दीप्तो विपतन् मूर्थ्नि संजय
śeṣayed aśanir dīpto vipatan mūrdhni saṃjaya
Dhṛtarāṣṭra dit : «Ô Saṃjaya, si la foudre flamboyante venait à s’abattre sur ma tête, elle laisserait encore quelque chose; mais les nouvelles que tu apportes me frappent si totalement qu’il me semble ne plus rien rester en moi.»
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how moral and political choices culminate in inner suffering: the fear of impending war and the weight of responsibility can wound more deeply than physical calamity, suggesting that adharma-driven decisions bring psychological ruin even before battle begins.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra reacts to Saṃjaya’s report with intense distress, using a hyperbolic image: even a thunderbolt to the head would leave some remainder, but the news overwhelms him completely—signaling dread and helplessness as the conflict approaches.