Shloka 11
Kurukṣetra-sainyadarśana and Arjuna-viṣāda (धर्मक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः — अर्जुनविषाद)
त्वं ब्रह्मविद्या विद्यानां महानिद्रा च देहिनाम् । स्कन्दमातर्भगवति दुर्गे कान्तारवासिनि
arjuna uvāca | tvaṃ brahmavidyā vidyānāṃ mahānidrā ca dehinām | skandamātar bhagavati durge kāntāravāsini ||
Di antara segala pengetahuan, engkaulah Brahmavidyā—pengetahuan tertinggi tentang Brahman; dan engkaulah pula tidur agung yang menyelimuti makhluk berjasad. O Bhagavatī, ibu Skanda; O Durgā yang bersemayam di rimba yang sukar ditembus—hadirlah melindungi.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the Goddess as both the highest liberating wisdom (brahmavidyā) and the power that withdraws beings into sleep (mahānidrā), expressing her sovereignty over knowledge, consciousness, and protection—invoked by a warrior seeking righteous strength and auspiciousness.
On the eve of the Kurukṣetra conflict in Bhīṣma Parva, Arjuna offers a hymn of praise to the Goddess Durgā, addressing her by epithets such as Skanda’s mother and forest-dweller, to obtain divine support and success in the impending battle.