Shloka 8
Saṃśaptaka-Varūthinī Saṅgrāma — Binding and Counter-Binding (संशप्तक-वरूथिनी-संग्रामः)
न चेत् तदभिमन्येत पुरुषो<र्जुनदर्शिवान्,ऋषदध्या गुणै: सुदान्तांश्व॒ धुर्यवाहान् सुशिक्षितान् । “अर्जुनको दिखानेवाला पुरुष यदि उसे भी पूरा न समझे तो मैं उसे सौ हाथी, सौ गाँव, पक्के सोनेके बने हुए सौ रथ तथा दस हजार अच्छे घोड़े भी दूँगा। वे घोड़े हृष्ट-पुष्ट, गुणवान, विनीत, सुशिक्षित तथा रथका भार वहन करनेमें समर्थ होंगे
na cet tad abhimanyeta puruṣo 'rjunadarśivān, ṛṣadadhyā guṇaiḥ sudāntān aśvān dhuryavāhān suśikṣitān |
Sañjaya berkata: “Jika orang yang telah melihat Arjuna itu masih juga tidak mengakui sepenuhnya, maka akan kuberikan kepadanya seratus gajah, seratus desa, seratus kereta dari emas murni, dan sepuluh ribu kuda pilihan. Kuda-kuda itu akan gemuk dan kuat, berbudi baik, jinak, terlatih sempurna, serta sanggup memikul kuk dan beban kereta.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes the ethical force of credible witness and clear discernment: Arjuna’s capability is presented as so evident that refusing to acknowledge it is portrayed as a lapse in judgment, and the lavish offer serves as a rhetorical device to reinforce truthfulness and accountability in speech during wartime.
Sañjaya reports a statement that challenges anyone who, despite having seen Arjuna, still does not accept the evident reality of his prowess; the speaker heightens the point by offering extravagant rewards—elephants, villages, golden chariots, and many well-trained horses—thereby dramatizing how undeniable Arjuna’s strength is considered in the Karṇa Parva war setting.