Shloka 17
यमदंष्टान्तरं प्राप्तो मुच्येतापि हि मानव: । नार्जुनस्य वशं प्राप्तो मुच्येताजी जयद्रथ:,त्वरन्नेकरथेनैव समेत्य द्रोणमब्रवीत् । संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! तदनन्तर जब कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुन सिन्धुराज जयद्रथका वध करनेकी इच्छासे द्रोणाचार्य और कृतवर्माका दुस्तर सेना-व्यूह भेदन करके आपकी सेनामें प्रविष्ट हो गये और सव्यसाची अर्जुनके हाथसे जब काम्बोजराजकुमार सुदक्षिण तथा पराक्रमी श्रुतायुध मार दिये गये तथा जब सारी सेनाएँ नष्ट-भ्रष्ट होकर चारों ओर भाग खड़ी हुईं, उस समय अपनी सम्पूर्ण सेनामें भगदड़ मची देख आपका पुत्र दुर्योधन बड़ी उतावलीके साथ एकमात्र रथके द्वारा द्रोणाचार्यके पास गया और उनसे मिलकर इस प्रकार बोला-- “मनुष्य यमराजकी दाढ़ोंमें पड़कर भले ही बच जाय, परंतु रणभूमिमें अर्जुनके वशमें पड़े हुए जयद्रथके प्राण नहीं बच सकते
yamadaṁṣṭāntaraṁ prāpto mucyetāpi hi mānavaḥ | nārjunasya vaśaṁ prāpto mucyetāji jayadrathaḥ | tvarann ekarathenaiva sametya droṇam abravīt ||
Sañjaya said: “O King, a man might perhaps escape even after falling between the fangs of Yama; but Jayadratha, once caught within Arjuna’s power on the battlefield, will not escape with his life.” Then, in great haste, Duryodhana went alone in a single chariot to Droṇa, met him, and spoke these words—pressing the urgency of protecting Jayadratha and exposing the grim moral pressure of war, where fear and duty collide under the shadow of inevitable retribution.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the inevitability of consequences once a powerful moral and martial resolve is set in motion: death may be escaped by chance, but when one is firmly within the grasp of a determined agent (here, Arjuna), ordinary hopes of escape collapse. It highlights how fear, fate, and responsibility intensify ethical pressure in war.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the situation has become dire for Jayadratha: once Arjuna has him within reach, survival is unlikely. Immediately after, Duryodhana—alarmed—rushes alone in a single chariot to Droṇa to urge action, seeking protection for Jayadratha and a response to Arjuna’s advance.