Shloka 15
अलुब्धो मतिमान् ह्वीमान् क्षमावान् रूपवान् बली । वपुष्मान् मानकृद् वीर: प्रिय: सत्यपराक्रम:,“जो लोभरहित, बुद्धिमान, लज्जाशील, क्षमावान्, रूपवान, बलवान, सुन्दर शरीरधारी, दूसरोंको मान देनेवाले, प्रीतिपात्र, वीर तथा सत्यपराक्रमी हैं, जिनके कर्मोकी देवतालोग भी प्रशंसा करते हैं, जिनके कर्म सबल एवं महान् हैं, जिन पराक्रमी वीरने निवातकवचों तथा कालकेय नामक दैत्योंका विनाश किया था, जिन्होंने आँखोंकी पलक मारते-मारते हिरण्यपुरनिवासी इन्द्रशत्रु पौलोम नामक दानवोंका उनके गणोंसहित संहार कर डाला था तथा जो सामर्थ्यशाली अर्जुन अभयकी इच्छा रखनेवाले शत्रुओंको भी अभयदान देते हैं, उन्हींके बलवान् पुत्रकी भी हमलोग रक्षा नहीं कर सके
sañjaya uvāca | alubdho matimān hrīmān kṣamāvān rūpavān balī | vapuṣmān mānakṛd vīraḥ priyaḥ satyaparākramaḥ |
Sañjaya said: He is free from greed, intelligent, modest, forbearing, handsome, and strong; endowed with a noble physique; one who honors others; beloved; a hero whose valor is true to his word. Yet even we could not protect the mighty son of such a man—Arjuna—whose deeds are praised even by the gods, who destroyed the Nivātakavaca and Kālakeya demons, who in the blink of an eye slew the Indra-foe Pauloma of Hiraṇyapura along with his hosts, and who grants fearlessness even to enemies that seek safety.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the classical warrior-ethic: true strength is joined with self-restraint—freedom from greed, modesty, patience, respect for others, and steadfast valor. It also underscores human limitation in war: even the son of a supremely virtuous and mighty hero may not be protectable amid the force of destiny and battlefield chaos.
Sañjaya is reporting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, praising Arjuna’s exemplary qualities and recalling his legendary demon-slaying exploits. Against that backdrop, he laments that ‘we’ (the Kaurava side) could not protect the powerful son of such a man—implying a grievous loss or failure of protection in the ongoing fighting described in this section of Droṇa Parva.