Shloka 503
Arjuna’s Advance toward Bhīṣma; The Gāṇḍīva’s Signal and the Armies’ Convergence (भीष्माभिमुखगमनम् — गाण्डीवनिर्घोष-ध्वजवर्णनम्)
असहां मन्यमानाश्च नातिप्रमनसो5 भवन् । उसके उस विशाल रूपको देखकर सब महारथी अपने लिये असहा मानते हुए हतोत्साह हो गये
asahān manyamānāś ca nātipramanaso 'bhavan |
Sañjaya said: Seeing that vast and overwhelming form, all the great chariot-warriors, judging themselves unable to withstand it, lost their confidence and became dispirited. The scene underscores how pride and mere martial prowess falter when confronted with a reality that exceeds human measure, turning the mind from aggression to humility and fear.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Human strength and pride collapse when faced with an overwhelming, higher reality; ethical insight here is the recognition of one’s limits, which can restrain reckless violence and cultivate humility.
Sañjaya reports that, upon seeing a vast and awe-inspiring form, the assembled elite warriors become discouraged, thinking themselves unable to withstand it, and their morale breaks.