Shloka 15
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 54 — Missile-Exchange and Tactical Redirection
Arjuna, Aśvatthāman, Karṇa
हतास्तु पार्थेन नरप्रवीरा गतासवोर्व्या सुषुपु: सुवेषा: | वसुप्रदा वासवतुल्यवीर्या: पराजिता वासवजेन संख्ये
vaiśampāyana uvāca | hatāstu pārthena narapravīrā gatāsavorvyā suṣupuḥ suveṣāḥ | vasupradā vāsavatulyavīryāḥ parājitā vāsavajena saṅkhye |
Vaiśampāyana dit : Frappés par Pārtha (Arjuna), bien des héros éminents—revêtus d’atours splendides—gisaient sur la terre comme endormis, mais la vie les avait quittés. Ces guerriers, renommés pour prodiguer les richesses et dont la vaillance égalait celle de Vāsava (Indra), furent pourtant vaincus dans ce combat par Arjuna, fils de Vāsava.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the transience of worldly glory: fine attire, reputation, and even Indra-like prowess cannot prevent death in righteous combat. It also reinforces the Mahābhārata’s view of kṣatriya-dharma—battle brings grave consequences, and victory often aligns with superior skill and divine endowment rather than mere status.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna (Pārtha), identified also as Indra’s son, has defeated and slain many eminent warriors. Their bodies lie on the ground ‘asleep,’ emphasizing the scale of the rout and Arjuna’s overwhelming martial superiority in that encounter.