Shloka 28
स्वै: परैश्न समेतेभ्य: सात्वतेन च संगमे । एकस्यैकेन हि कथं संग्राम: सम्भविष्यति,तुम स्वयं कवच हिलाते हुए रथपर चढ़े थे, धनुषकी प्रत्यंचा खींचते थे और अपने बहुसंख्यक शत्रुओंके साथ युद्ध कर रहे थे। इस प्रकार रथ, हाथी, घुड़सवार और पैदलोंसे भरे हुए सिंहनादकी भैरव गर्जनासे व्याप्त गम्भीर सैन्य-समुद्रमें जहाँ अपने और शत्रुपक्षके एकत्र हुए लोगोंका परस्पर युद्ध चल रहा था, तुम्हारी सात्यकिके साथ मुठभेड़ हुई थी। ऐसे तुमुल युद्धमें किसी भी एक योद्धाका एक ही योद्धाके साथ संग्राम कैसे माना जा सकता है?
Arjuna uvāca: svaiḥ paraiś ca sametebhyaḥ sātvatenā ca saṅgame | ekasyaikena hi kathaṃ saṅgrāmaḥ sambhaviṣyati ||
Arjuna said: 'In the clash where one’s own men and the enemy’s forces were gathered together, and where you also encountered Sātyaki, how can it be claimed that there was a “battle” of just one warrior against one warrior? In such a tumult of war, with many combatants converging, the notion of a single, isolated duel is not credible.'
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Arjuna challenges an oversimplified claim about combat: in a mass battle where many fighters are engaged, describing it as a neat one-on-one duel distorts truth. The verse highlights ethical attention to accurate testimony and the complexity of responsibility in war.
Arjuna addresses someone’s account of a battlefield encounter involving Sātyaki. He argues that since both armies were assembled and fighting, it is unreasonable to portray the event as a solitary duel between two individuals.