Shloka 12
Jayadratha-rakṣā: Conch Signals and Encirclement of Arjuna
Chapter 79
धिग् बल॑ भीमसेनस्य धिक् पार्थस्य धनुष्मताम् | धिग् वीर्य वृष्णिवीराणां पञ्चालानां च धिग् बलम्
sañjaya uvāca | dhig balaṃ bhīmasenasya dhig pārthasya dhanuṣmatām | dhig vīryaṃ vṛṣṇivīrāṇāṃ pañcālānāṃ ca dhig balam ||
Sañjaya said: “Shame upon the strength of Bhīmasena; shame upon the bowmanship of Pārtha (Arjuna). Shame upon the valor of the Vṛṣṇi heroes, and shame too upon the might of the Pāñcālas.” In the heat of war, Sañjaya voices a bitter denunciation—an ethical lament that celebrated prowess has failed to prevent calamity or uphold the expected duty of protection in that moment.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral anguish that arises when renowned strength and valor do not fulfill their protective dharma. It underscores that martial excellence is ethically judged by its capacity to uphold duty and prevent unjust suffering, not merely by reputation.
In the midst of the Drona Parva’s fierce fighting, Sañjaya reports events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and, seeing a grievous turn, bursts into a denunciation of the Pāṇḍava side’s famed champions—Bhīma, Arjuna, the Vṛṣṇis, and the Pāñcālas—implying that their power has proved ineffective at that critical moment.