Shloka 4
Kṛṣṇopadeśa and Duryodhana’s Challenge
Droṇa-parva, Adhyāya 77
यदि साध्याश्र रुद्राक्ष वसवश्च सहाश्चिन: । मरुतश्न सहेन्द्रेण विश्वेदेवा: सहेश्वरा:,मधुसूदन श्रीकृष्ण! यदि साध्य, रुद्र, वसु, अश्विनीकुमार, इन्द्रसहित मरुद्गण, विश्वेदेव, देवेश्वरगण, पितर, गन्धर्व, गरुड़, समुद्र, पर्वत, स्वर्ग, आकाश, यह पृथ्वी, दिशाएँ, दिक्पाल, गाँवों तथा जंगलोंमें निवास करनेवाले प्राणी और सम्पूर्ण चराचर जीव भी सिन्धुराज जयद्रथकी रक्षाके लिये उद्यत हो जायेँ तो भी मैं सत्यकी शपथ खाकर और अपना धनुष छूकर कहता हूँ कि कल युद्धमें आप मेरे बाणोंद्वारा जयद्रथको मारा गया देखेंगे
arjuna uvāca | yadi sādhyāś ca rudrāś ca vasavaś cāśvinau saha | marutaś ca sahendreṇa viśve devāḥ saheśvarāḥ ||
Arjuna said: “Even if the Sādhyas, the Rudras, the Vasus, and the Aśvin twins; even if the Maruts together with Indra, and the Viśvedevas along with the divine lords themselves, were to rise up in full force to protect Jayadratha—even then, O Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa), I swear by truth and by touching my bow: tomorrow, in battle, you will see Jayadratha slain by my arrows.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights satya (truthfulness) and unwavering resolve: Arjuna binds himself by an oath to fulfill a righteous warrior’s duty, asserting that moral commitment and determined effort must not waver even before overwhelming opposition—human or divine.
After Abhimanyu’s death and Jayadratha’s role in it, Arjuna declares a solemn vow before Kṛṣṇa: regardless of any celestial forces that might defend Jayadratha, Arjuna will kill him the next day in battle.