Shloka 2

अर्जुनस्य जयद्रथाभिमुखप्रयाणं तथा कर्णेन प्रतिरोधः

Arjuna’s renewed advance toward Jayadratha and Karṇa’s resistance

Devanagari script

निमित्तमात्रं वयमद्य सूत दग्धारय: केशवफाल्गुनाभ्याम्‌ । हतान्‌ निहन्मेह नरर्षभेण वयं सुरेशात्मसमुद्धवेन,'सारथे! इस विजयमें आज हमलोग तो निमित्त-मात्र हो रहे हैं। वास्तवमें श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुनने ही हमारे इन शत्रुओंको दग्ध कर दिया है। देवराजके पुत्र नरश्रेष्ठ अर्जुनके मारे हुए सैनिकोंको ही हमलोग यहाँ मार रहे हैं!

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

nimittamātraṃ vayam adya sūta dagdhārayāḥ keśava-phālgunābhyām |

hatān nihann iha naraṛṣabheṇa vayaṃ sureśātmaja-samuddhavena ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O charioteer, today we are only the occasion, the mere instrument in this victory. In truth, Keśava and Phālguna have already scorched these enemies. Here we are only striking down those who have been slain by that bull among men—Arjuna, the son of the lord of the gods, raised up in might.”

Word by Word

• {'nimitta-mātram': 'a mere cause/occasion

• only an instrument', 'vayam': 'we', 'adya': 'today, now', 'sūta': 'charioteer

• driver (addressed respectfully)', 'dagdha': 'burnt, scorched, consumed', 'arayaḥ': 'enemies', 'keśava': 'Kṛṣṇa (lit. ‘Keśa-va’

• an epithet of Kṛṣṇa)', 'phālguna': 'Arjuna (descendant of Phalguna

• epithet)', 'hatān': 'those who are slain

• the killed', 'nihann iha': 'we strike down here

• we kill here', 'nara-ṛṣabha': 'bull among men

• best of men', 'sureśa': 'lord of the gods (Indra)', 'ātmaja': 'son', 'samuddhavena': 'raised up, uplifted

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sūta (charioteer addressed)
• Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Phālguna (Arjuna)
• Indra (Sureśa)
• Enemies (Ari)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes instrumentality: human fighters may appear to achieve victory, but decisive agency is attributed to the extraordinary prowess of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Ethically, it frames success in war as not merely personal credit but as arising from larger forces—divine support, destiny, and superior dharmic power—encouraging humility about one’s role.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses a charioteer and remarks that their side is only finishing off what has effectively already been accomplished: Kṛṣṇa (as strategist and guide) and Arjuna (as principal warrior) have already ‘burnt’ the enemies; the remaining combatants are merely striking down those already doomed or effectively defeated by Arjuna.