Shloka 16
अवध्यमान: सो< भ्यघ्नन्मागध: पाण्डवर्ष भम् । तेन तस्थौ स कौरव्य लोकवीरस्य दर्शने,कुरुनन्दन! अर्जुन तो उसे मार नहीं रहे थे, परंतु वह उन पाण्डवशिरोमणिपर बारंबार चोट कर रहा था। इसीलिये विश्वविख्यात वीर अर्जुनकी दृष्टिमें वह तबतक ठहर सका
avadhyamānaḥ so ’bhyaghnan māgadhaḥ pāṇḍavarṣabham | tena tasthau sa kauravya lokavīrasya darśane ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Though Arjuna did not strike him down, the Magadhan kept repeatedly attacking that bull among the Pāṇḍavas. By this persistence he managed to remain standing before the eyes of the world-renowned hero, O best of the Kurus—so long as Arjuna refrained from killing him.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined restraint in battle: even when capable of killing, a great warrior may choose not to, while the opponent’s persistence and aggression still carry consequences. It frames valor not only as strength but also as controlled action aligned with dharma.
A Magadhan fighter keeps striking Arjuna repeatedly. Arjuna, however, does not kill him. Because Arjuna refrains from slaying him, the Magadhan is able to continue standing and confronting the famed hero in his very presence.