Shloka 8
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Anxiety and Sañjaya’s Report on the Pandavas’ Coalition
Kāmyaka Context
तथैव च न पश्यामि युधि गाण्डीवधन्वन: । अनिशं चिन्तयानो5पि य एनमुदियाद् रथी,मैं दिन-रात विचार करनेपर भी यह नहीं समझ पाता कि युद्धमें “गाण्डीवधन्वा' अर्जुनका सामना कौन रथी कर सकता है?
tathaiva ca na paśyāmi yudhi gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ | aniśaṃ cintayāno 'pi ya enam udiyād rathī ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Namun demikian, sekalipun kupikirkan tanpa henti, aku tak melihat ksatria-kereta mana yang sanggup bangkit di medan laga untuk menghadapi Arjuna, pemegang Gāṇḍīva.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the awe inspired by exceptional dharmic strength and skill: when a warrior’s prowess is widely recognized, it shapes moral and strategic calculations, suggesting that righteous power can deter aggression and alter the perceived possibilities of conflict.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana remarks that, despite constant reflection, he cannot identify any chariot-warrior capable of confronting Arjuna in battle—highlighting Arjuna’s feared reputation as the wielder of the Gāṇḍīva.