Shloka 13
भीमस्य बल्लव-प्रतिज्ञा तथा अर्जुनस्य बृहन्नडा-रूप-निर्णयः
Bhīma’s Ballava Vow and Arjuna’s Decision to Become Bṛhannadā
योडयमासाद्य तं दावं तर्पपामास पावकम् । विजित्यैकरथेनेन्द्रं हत्वा पन्नगराक्षसान्,जिसने खाण्डवदाहके समय वहाँ पहुँचकर एकमात्र रथका आश्रय ले इन्द्रको पराजित कर तथा नागों एवं राक्षसोंको मारकर अग्निदेवको तृप्त किया और अपने अप्रतिम सौन्दर्यसे नागराज वासुकिकी बहिन उलूपीका चित्त चुरा लिया एवं जो सम्मुख युद्ध करनेवाले वीरोंमें सबसे श्रेष्ठ है, वह अर्जुन वहाँ क्या काम करेगा?
yoḍayam āsādya taṃ dāvaṃ tarpayāmāsa pāvakam | vijityaikarathenendraṃ hatvā pannagarākṣasān |
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Ia yang, saat kebakaran Khāṇḍava, tiba di sana dan memuaskan Agni; yang, bertumpu pada satu kereta, menaklukkan Indra serta membunuh para ular dan rākṣasa—Arjuna, yang terunggul di antara pahlawan yang bertarung berhadapan, tugas apakah yang harus ia lakukan di sana?”
युधिछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how reputation grounded in proven deeds becomes a measure of capability: Arjuna’s past feats—serving Agni in the Khāṇḍava episode and facing even Indra—are invoked to argue that such a warrior would not be idle or ineffective; excellence in direct combat implies readiness to meet any challenge.
Yudhiṣṭhira is speaking about Arjuna, recalling the famous Khāṇḍava-burning episode: Arjuna aided Agni, fought off Indra’s intervention from a single chariot, and slew hostile beings (nāgas and rākṣasas). By citing these exploits, he emphasizes Arjuna’s unmatched valor and questions what significant task could remain beyond him in the present context.