Shloka 4
Adhyāya 65: Dawn Assembly, Makara–Śyena Vyūhas, and Commander Engagements
युध्यमानान् यथाशक्ति घटमानाज्जयं प्रति । पाण्डवा हि जयन्त्येव जीयन्ते चैव मामका:,मेरे बेटे विजयके लिये यथाशक्ति चेष्टा करते और लड़ते हैं, तो भी पाण्डव ही विजयी होते और मेरे पुत्रोंकी ही पराजय होती है
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | yudhyamānān yathāśakti ghaṭamānāj jayaṃ prati | pāṇḍavā hi jayanty eva jīyante caiva māmakāḥ ||
Sekalipun putra-putraku berjuang sekuat tenaga dan bertempur demi kemenangan, yang terus menang hanyalah para Pāṇḍava; sedangkan pihakku sendiri berulang kali dikalahkan.
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral and psychological contrast between mere exertion for victory and the deeper forces that govern outcomes—righteous alignment (dharma), leadership, and destiny. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s words also reveal how attachment to “my side” (māmakāḥ) frames defeat as personal loss, underscoring the ethical cost of partiality.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra, hearing reports of the Kurukṣetra war, reflects with anxiety that despite the Kauravas’ strenuous efforts and fighting for victory, the Pāṇḍavas continue to gain the upper hand while his own sons suffer defeat.