Shloka 23
Ulūpī–Citravāhinī Saṃvāda: Dhanaṃjaya-patana and Prāya-threat
स गाढवेदनो धीमानालम्ब्य धनुरुत्तमम् | दिव्यं तेज: समाविश्य प्रमीत इव सो5भवत्,इससे अर्जुनको बड़ी वेदना हुई। बुद्धिमान् अर्जुन अपने उत्तम धनुषका सहारा लेकर दिव्य तेजमें स्थित हो मुर्देके समान हो गये
sa gāḍha-vedano dhīmān ālambya dhanur uttamam | divyaṃ tejaḥ samāviśya pramīta iva so 'bhavat ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Struck by intense pain, the wise Arjuna leaned upon his excellent bow. Entering into a divine radiance, he became as though dead—overwhelmed and motionless, as grief and shock seized him.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the wisest and most disciplined warrior can be overcome by sorrow; the verse highlights the ethical and psychological cost of events, showing that inner strength (dhī) does not erase human vulnerability, and that confronting grief is part of the dharmic journey after conflict.
Arjuna is seized by intense anguish; he supports himself on his bow and becomes motionless, described as if dead, while he is said to be immersed in a divine radiance—an image of shock, collapse, and a momentary withdrawal from ordinary action.