Shloka 42
त्वां प्राप्प पुरुषव्याघ्रं वृत्र: प्राप्पेव वासवम् । “अर्जुन! तुमसे सुरक्षित हुए शिखण्डीने महान् व्रतधारी पुरुषसिंह भीष्मजीपर चढ़ाई करके झुकी हुई गाँठवाले बाणोंद्वारा उन्हें मार गिराया
sañjaya uvāca | tvāṁ prāpya puruṣavyāghraṁ vṛtraḥ prāpyeva vāsavam |
Sanjaya berkata: “Wahai harimau di antara manusia, setelah berhadapan denganmu ia binasa—sebagaimana Vṛtra roboh ketika menantang Vāsava (Indra). Dalam perang ini, pertemuan denganmu menjadi titik penentu, laksana benturan purba antara Indra dan Vṛtra.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames battlefield outcomes through a moral-mythic lens: when a righteous, formidable champion is encountered, the contest becomes decisive, echoing archetypal victories like Indra over Vṛtra. It underscores the kṣatriya ideal that prowess and destiny converge in direct confrontation.
Sanjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, praising Arjuna as ‘puruṣavyāghra’ and likening the opponent’s downfall upon meeting him to Vṛtra’s defeat when he faced Indra (Vāsava). The line functions as a dramatic comparison to highlight Arjuna’s battlefield dominance.