Shloka 14
Droṇa–Arjuna Yuddha; Trigarta-Āvaraṇa; Bhīmasena Gajānīka-bheda
Droṇa and Arjuna Engage; Trigarta Containment; Bhīma Breaks the Elephant Corps
तव च भ्रातर श्रेष्ठा दःशासनपुरोगमा: । त्वदर्थे प्रतियोत्स्यामो राक्षसं तं महाबलम्,कथयामास दुर्धर्षो विनि:श्वस्य पुनः पुनः । संजय कहते हैं--महाराज! शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाला राजा दुर्योधन उस महान् युद्धमें एक राक्षसके द्वारा प्राप्त हुई अपनी पराजयको नहीं सह सका। उसने गंगानन्दन भीष्मजीके पास जाकर उन्हें विनीतभावसे प्रणाम करनेके पश्चात् सारा वृत्तान्त यथावत् रूपसे कह सुनाया। उस दुर्धर्ष वीरने बारंबार लम्बी साँस खींचकर घटोत्कचकी विजय और अपनी पराजयकी कथा कही “राजन! तुम्हें दुरात्मा घटोत्कचके साथ कदापि युद्ध नहीं करना चाहिये। मैं, द्रोणाचार्य, कृपाचार्य, अश्वत्थामा, सात्वतवंशी कृतवर्मा, शल्य, भूरिश्रवा, महारथी विकर्ण तथा दुःशासन आदि तुम्हारे अच्छे भ्राता--ये सब लोग तुम्हारे लिये उस महाबली राक्षससे युद्ध करेंगे
tava ca bhrātaraḥ śreṣṭhā duḥśāsana-purogamāḥ | tvad-arthe pratiyotsyāmo rākṣasaṃ taṃ mahābalam, kathayāmāsa durdharṣo viniḥśvasya punaḥ punaḥ |
Sañjaya said: “And your foremost brothers, led by Duḥśāsana, will fight for your sake against that mighty Rākṣasa.” Having spoken thus, the hard-to-face warrior, again and again drawing deep breaths, related the account—how Ghaṭotkaca had prevailed and how he himself had been brought low—urging the king not to engage that fierce being directly, but to let the great champions bear the burden of the combat. The passage underscores a war-ethic of prudence and delegation: personal pride must yield to strategic restraint when the opponent’s power threatens the larger cause.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights prudent kingship in war: when a threat is extraordinary, a ruler should restrain personal impulse and rely on capable protectors and collective effort. It also reflects the ethical tension between pride and responsibility—accepting counsel and acting for the larger objective rather than ego.
Sañjaya reports that the speaker (in context, a Kaurava leader) declares that the king’s brothers, led by Duḥśāsana, will fight the mighty Rākṣasa (Ghaṭotkaca) on the king’s behalf. The warrior, repeatedly sighing, recounts Ghaṭotkaca’s victory and his own defeat, advising the king not to fight Ghaṭotkaca directly.