Shloka 77
अलंबलवधः (Alaṃbala-vadhaḥ) / The Slaying of Alaṃbala and the Advance toward Karṇa
कृष्णो वापि भवेल्लोके पार्थों वापि धनुर्धर: । शैनेयो वा नरव्याप्र चतुर्थस्तु न विद्यते,नरव्याप्र! संसारमें श्रीकृष्ण, कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुन और शिनिपौत्र सात्यकि--ये तीन ही वास्तवमें धनुर्धर हैं। इनके समान चौथा कोई नहीं है
kṛṣṇo vāpi bhavelloke pārtho vāpi dhanurdharaḥ | śaineyo vā naravyāghra caturthas tu na vidyate, naravyāghra ||
Sañjaya said: “In this world, either Kṛṣṇa, or Pārtha (Arjuna) the wielder of the bow, or Śaineya (Sātyaki), O tiger among men—these alone are truly the great archers. A fourth equal to them does not exist.” In the midst of war, the statement functions as a moral and strategic appraisal: excellence in arms is rare, and the fate of armies turns on a few extraordinary agents whose skill is joined to resolve and purpose.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the rarity of true excellence: only a few individuals reach unsurpassed mastery, and recognizing such capability is crucial for right judgment in crisis—especially in war where outcomes hinge on exceptional skill and steadfast intent.
Sañjaya, reporting the battlefield to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, highlights the unmatched prowess of three Yādava–Pāṇḍava champions—Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, and Sātyaki—asserting that no fourth archer equals them, thereby framing the strategic balance of power in the Drona Parva conflict.