Shloka 19
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 155 — Ghaṭotkaca-nidhana-śoka and Karṇa-śakti-vyaya
Kṛṣṇa’s strategic reassurance
यादृशं कृतवान् राजा पुत्रस्तव विशाम्पते । प्रजानाथ! आपके सैनिकोंने रणभूमिमें वैसा पराक्रम नहीं किया था, जैसा कि आपके पुत्र राजा दुर्योधनने किया ।। पुत्रेण तव सा सेना पाण्डवी मथिता रणे
sañjaya uvāca |
yādṛśaṁ kṛtavān rājā putras tava viśāmpate |
prajānātha! āpake sainikoṇe raṇabhūmauṁ vaisā parākrama nahiṁ kiyā thā, jaisā ki tumhāre putra rājā duryodhanane kiyā ||
putreṇa tava sā senā pāṇḍavī mathitā raṇe ||
Sañjaya berkata—Wahai penguasa manusia, wahai pelindung rakyat! Para prajuritmu tidak menampilkan di medan perang keberanian seperti yang ditunjukkan putramu, Raja Duryodhana. Oleh putramu itulah bala Pandawa diguncang dan dihancurkan dalam pertempuran.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the power of individual leadership and determination in war, while implicitly inviting ethical reflection: extraordinary courage can be directed toward an unrighteous cause, and thus valor alone is not the measure of dharma.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Duryodhana personally showed greater battlefield prowess than the rest of the Kaurava soldiers, and that his effort caused significant disturbance to the Pandava forces during the fighting.