Shloka 1
Chapter 82: Linked Duels—Bṛhatkṣatra’s Kill, Dhṛṣṭaketu vs Vīradhanvas, Sahadeva’s Advance, and Droṇa Moves on Sātyaki
नऔशा-<> ड-ण का - रुर्दु:खं तद् द्रावयति इति रुद्र: । एकाशीतितमो<ध्याय: अर्जुनको स्वप्रमें ही पुनः पाशुपतास्त्रकी प्राप्ति संजय उवाच ततः पार्थ: प्रसन्नात्मा प्राउजलिवुषभध्वजम् | ददर्शोत्फुल्लनयन: समस्तं तेजसां निधिम्
sañjaya uvāca | tataḥ pārthaḥ prasannātmā prāñjalir vṛṣabhadhvajam | dadarśotphullanayanaḥ samastaṁ tejasāṁ nidhim ||
Sanjaya said: Then Arjuna, his mind serene, stood with folded hands and beheld the Bull-bannered Lord (Śiva), his eyes widening in wonder—Śiva, the complete treasury of all splendor. The scene frames Arjuna’s turn from mere martial confidence to reverent dependence on divine grace, suggesting that power in war is ethically grounded when sought with humility and self-restraint rather than pride.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights humility and reverence as the proper ethical posture when seeking extraordinary power: Arjuna’s folded hands and serene mind imply that strength becomes dharmic when aligned with devotion, self-discipline, and recognition of a higher moral order.
Sanjaya narrates that Arjuna, calm and reverent, beholds Śiva (marked by the bull on his banner), described as the repository of all radiance—setting the stage for divine interaction connected with Arjuna’s acquisition/confirmation of Śiva’s favor and the Pāśupata power.