Shloka 8
“यदि इस युद्धमें आचार्य द्रोण अर्जुनको रोकनेकी पूरी चेष्टा करते तो प्रयत्न करनेपर भी वे समरांगणमें उस दुर्भद्य व्यूहको कैसे तोड़ सकते थे? सिंधुराजको मारकर अर्जुन अपनी प्रतिज्ञाके भारसे मुक्त हो गये ।। पश्य राधेय पृथ्वीशान् पृथिव्यां पातितान् बहून् । पार्थेन निहतान् संख्ये महेन्द्रोपमविक्रमान्,'राधाकुमार! संग्रामभूमिमें पार्थके मारे और पृथ्वीपर गिराये हुए इन बहुसंख्यक भूपतियोंको देखो, ये सब-के-सब देवराज इन्द्रके समान पराक्रमी थे
sañjaya uvāca | yadi asmin yuddhe ācāryo droṇaḥ arjunaṁ roddhuṁ pūrṇaṁ ceṣṭeta, prayatnam api kurvan sa samara-aṅgaṇe taṁ durbhedyaṁ vyūhaṁ kathaṁ bhindet? sindhurājaṁ hatvā arjunaḥ sva-pratijñā-bhārasya mukto 'bhavat || paśya rādheya pṛthvīśān pṛthivyāṁ pātitān bahūn | pārthena nihatān saṅkhye mahendropama-vikramān ||
Sañjaya said: If, in this war, the preceptor Droṇa had exerted himself to the utmost to restrain Arjuna, then—even with all effort—how could Arjuna have broken that hard-to-breach battle-formation on the field? Having slain the king of Sindhu, Arjuna was freed from the burden of his vow. Behold, O son of Rādhā: many kings, cast down upon the earth, slain by Pārtha in battle—each of them possessed of valor like that of Mahendra (Indra).
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the moral and psychological force of a vow (pratijñā): once Arjuna fulfills his pledge by slaying Jayadratha, he is relieved of its burden. It also underscores the limits of opposition—even a master like Droṇa cannot easily restrain a determined warrior when resolve, circumstance, and momentum converge.
Sañjaya reports that Arjuna has killed Jayadratha and thereby completed his vow. He then addresses Karṇa (Rādheya), urging him to look upon the many powerful kings already slain by Arjuna in battle, emphasizing Arjuna’s overwhelming prowess despite formidable Kaurava defenses and formations.