Shloka 21
Arjuna’s Absence, Bhīma’s Kṣātra-Dharma Appeal, and Bṛhadaśva’s Arrival
Nala-Upākhyāna Begins
इदं हि सुमहच्चित्रमर्जुनस्येह संजय । महादेवेन बाहुभ्यां यत् समेत इति श्रुति:,संजय! अर्जुनका यह पराक्रम तो बड़े ही आश्वर्यका विषय है कि उन्होंने महादेवजीके साथ बाहुयुद्ध किया, यह मेरे सुननेमें आया है
idaṃ hi sumahac citram arjunasyeha sañjaya | mahādevena bāhubhyāṃ yat sameta iti śrutiḥ ||
Wahai Sanjaya, sungguh suatu keajaiban besar tentang Arjuna di sini: aku mendengar bahwa ia benar-benar bertarung adu lengan, tangan kosong, melawan Mahadeva sendiri.
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
Extraordinary power and success are portrayed as arising not merely from human effort but from contact with the divine; Arjuna’s prowess becomes meaningful within a moral universe where divine testing and grace validate disciplined striving.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra expresses amazement to Sañjaya after hearing a report that Arjuna encountered Mahādeva and even fought him in close combat, highlighting the extraordinary nature of Arjuna’s exploits during the forest period.