Shloka 21
Yudhiṣṭhira–Droṇa Saṃgrāma
Engagement and Countermeasures
त॑ देव॑ं मनसा ध्यात्वा जोषमास्व धनंजय । ततस्तस्य प्रसादात् त्वं भक्त: प्राप्स्सि तन्महत्,“यदि वह अस्त्र आज तुम्हें विदित हो तो तुम अवश्य कल जयद्रथको मार सकते हो और यदि तुम्हें उसका ज्ञान न हो तो मन-ही-मन भगवान् वृषभध्वज (शिव)-की शरण लो। धनंजय! तुम मनमें उन महादेवजीका ध्यान करते हुए चुपचाप बैठ जाओ। तब उनके दया- प्रसादसे तुम उनके भक्त होनेके कारण उस महान् अस्त्रको प्राप्त कर लोगे”
taṁ devaṁ manasā dhyātvā joṣamāsva dhanañjaya | tatastasya prasādāt tvaṁ bhaktaḥ prāpsyasi tan mahat ||
Sanjaya said: “Fix your mind in meditation upon that God and remain quietly composed, O Dhanañjaya. Then, by his gracious favor, you—being his devotee—will obtain that great (divine) weapon.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
When human effort reaches its limit, disciplined inner stillness and sincere devotion become a means to receive divine guidance and power; the verse emphasizes that grace (prasāda) responds to steadfast bhakti and mental focus.
In the tense context of the Jayadratha episode, Sanjaya reports counsel to Arjuna: instead of agitation, Arjuna should silently meditate on the Lord (understood as Śiva in the surrounding passage). Through that devotion, he is assured of obtaining a great divine weapon/aid needed for the coming task.