Shloka 23
Adhyāya 40 (Book 7, Droṇa-parva): Abhimanyu’s Rapid Advance and Battlefield Disruption
पश्य दुःशासनं वीरमभिमन्युवशं गतम्
paśya duḥśāsanaṃ vīram abhimanyuvaśaṃ gatam
Sañjaya said: “Behold the warrior Duḥśāsana—he has fallen under Abhimanyu’s power, brought into his control.” The line underscores the shifting fortunes of battle and the moral tension of a war where prowess can momentarily subdue even the fierce, yet the larger conflict remains driven by adharma and vengeance.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a war driven by entrenched hostility, individual moments reveal the impermanence of dominance: a feared warrior can be brought under another’s control. The verse invites reflection on how martial power shifts rapidly, while ethical responsibility (dharma) remains the true measure beyond temporary victories.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Duḥśāsana, a prominent Kaurava fighter, has come under Abhimanyu’s control—indicating Abhimanyu’s tactical superiority at that moment in the fighting.