Shloka 266
विस्मयं परमं जग्मुस्ततस्ते वसुधाधिपा: । इन्द्रके समान पराक्रमी अर्जुनके उस अद्भुत कर्मसे वहाँ बैठे हुए समस्त भूपाल बड़े विस्मयको प्राप्त हुए
vismayaṃ paramaṃ jagmustatas te vasudhādhipāḥ | indreṇa samaparākramī arjunasyādbhuta-karmaṇā tatra niṣaṇṇāḥ sarve bhūpālā mahad vismayaṃ prāpuḥ |
Sañjaya said: Then those kings were struck with the utmost astonishment. Seated there, all the rulers beheld Arjuna—whose prowess was equal to Indra’s—and, at his wondrous deed, they were filled with great wonder. The scene underscores how extraordinary valor, when displayed with mastery and purpose, compels even rival sovereigns to acknowledge excellence amid the moral gravity of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of recognized excellence: even amid conflict, true prowess and extraordinary action command acknowledgment. It reflects the kṣatriya ideal where skill and courage, when unmistakably displayed, evoke awe and shape collective judgment.
Sañjaya reports that the assembled kings, witnessing Arjuna’s remarkable feat, are overwhelmed with amazement. Arjuna is explicitly compared to Indra in valor, emphasizing the scale of what the onlookers have just seen.