Shloka 11
भीष्मरक्षण-प्रकरणम् / The Protective Screen around Bhīṣma and the Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Clash
तथा द्रौणिं महेष्वासं शारद्वतमथापि च । गोग्रहे जितवान् पूर्व पर्याप्तं॑ तन्निदर्शनम्,'पूर्वकालमें उसी गोग्रहके अवसरपर पाण्डु-कुमारने महाधनुर्धर अश्वत्थामा तथा कृपाचार्यको भी परास्त कर दिया था। यह दृष्टान्त उन्हें समझनेके लिये पर्याप्त है
tathā drauṇiṁ maheṣvāsaṁ śāradvatam athāpi ca | gograhe jitavān pūrvaṁ paryāptaṁ tan nidarśanam ||
Sañjaya said: “Likewise, in the earlier cattle-raid, the son of Pāṇḍu had already defeated the great archer Aśvatthāmā and also Śāradvata (Kṛpa). That precedent alone is sufficient evidence for understanding this matter.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse appeals to a prior, well-known precedent (nidarśana) to establish credibility: past demonstrated capability is presented as sufficient proof when assessing present claims about martial strength and outcomes.
Sañjaya reminds Dhṛtarāṣṭra that during an earlier cattle-raid (gograha), a Pāṇḍava had already defeated both Aśvatthāmā and Kṛpa, implying that similar superiority should be expected now; the earlier event is cited as decisive evidence.