Shloka 12

Arjuna’s Absence, Bhīma’s Kṣātra-Dharma Appeal, and Bṛhadaśva’s Arrival

Nala-Upākhyāna Begins

Devanagari script

सर्वे प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठा: सर्वे चामिततेजस: । सर्वे सर्वास्त्रिविद्वांसो देवैरपि सुदुर्जया:,सभी पाण्डव प्रहार करनेवाले योद्धाओंमें श्रेष्ठ हैं। सभी अपरिमित तेजसे सम्पन्न हैं तथा सबको सभी अस्त्रोंका परिज्ञान है, अतः वे देवताओंके लिये भी अत्यन्त दुर्जय हैं

Transliteration

sarve praharatāṃ śreṣṭhāḥ sarve cāmitatejasaḥ | sarve sarvāstravidvāṃso devair api sudurjayāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Mereka semua adalah yang terdepan di antara para pemukul di medan perang; semuanya dianugerahi cahaya kemuliaan dan daya-gagah yang tak terukur. Mereka semua menguasai setiap senjata dan peluru; karena itu mereka amat sukar ditaklukkan—bahkan oleh para dewa.”

Word by Word

सर्वेall

प्रहरताम्of the strikers/attackers (warriors who strike)

श्रेष्ठाःbest, foremost

सर्वेall

चand

अमिततेजसःof immeasurable splendor/energy

सर्वेall

सर्वास्त्रविद्वांसःknowers of all weapons (all-weapon-knowing)

देवैःby the gods

अपिeven, also

सुदुर्जयाःvery hard to conquer

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

the Pāṇḍavas (implied by context: 'all of them')

the gods (devas)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that true strength in dharmic leadership is not mere aggression but disciplined excellence—mastery, restraint, and radiant inner power (tejas). Such integrated capability makes righteous warriors formidable even against seemingly superior forces.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing the extraordinary martial caliber of the group being discussed (contextually, the Pāṇḍavas), emphasizing their superiority in combat, their immense tejas, and their comprehensive knowledge of weapons—so great that even the gods would find them hard to defeat.