Shloka 104
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
नानाजनीघं युधि सम्प्रवृद्धं गाड़ं यथा वेगमपारणीयम् | मां च स्थितं नागबलस्य मध्ये युयुत्ससे मन्द किमल्पबुद्धे
nānājanīghaṁ yudhi sampravṛddhaṁ gāḍhaṁ yathā vegam apāraṇīyam | māṁ ca sthitaṁ nāgabalasya madhye yuyutsase manda kim alpabuddhe ||
Sanjaya berkata: “Dalam pertempuran, pasukanku mengembang menjadi banjir yang rapat oleh beragam rakyat, laksana arus Gaṅgā yang meluap—dayanya mustahil diseberangi. Dan aku, Duryodhana, berdiri di tengah kekuatan korps gajah. Wahai yang tumpul budi, bagaimana engkau masih ingin berperang?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how pride and intimidation operate in wartime rhetoric: Duryodhana measures right and victory by sheer numbers and force, using insults to unsettle the opponent. Ethically, it contrasts external power with inner discernment and restraint in speech.
Sañjaya reports a speech in which Duryodhana challenges Arjuna, boasting that his army is like an unfordable flood and that he stands protected among the elephant divisions, implying Arjuna’s wish to fight is foolish.