Shloka 17
ध्वजवर्णनम् | Dhvaja-varṇanam
Description of War Standards
न हासावनृतं कर्तुमलं पार्थो धनंजय: । धर्मपुत्र: कथं राजा भविष्यति मृते$र्जुने,अर्जुन शत्रुओंको जीतकर अपना व्रत पूरा करें। यदि वे कल सिंधुराजको न मार सके तो अग्निमें प्रवेश कर जायँगे। कुन्तीकुमार धनंजय अपनी बात झूठी नहीं कर सकते। यदि अर्जुन मर गये तो धर्मपुत्र युधिष्ठिर कैसे राजा होंगे?
sañjaya uvāca |
na hāsāv anṛtaṃ kartuṃ alam pārtho dhanañjayaḥ |
dharmaputraḥ kathaṃ rājā bhaviṣyati mṛte 'rjune ||
Sañjaya said: “That Pārtha, Dhanañjaya, is not capable of making his word false. If Arjuna were to die, how could Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira) ever become king?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights satya (truthfulness) as a defining virtue: Arjuna is portrayed as incapable of letting his pledged word become false. It also frames political legitimacy and the restoration of righteous kingship (Yudhiṣṭhira’s rule) as dependent on the survival and success of dharmic allies.
Sañjaya, narrating the battlefield events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, underscores Arjuna’s unwavering commitment to his vow and points out the catastrophic implication if Arjuna were to fall—Yudhiṣṭhira’s path to kingship and the Pandava cause would be gravely imperiled.