Shloka 55
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 96: Sātyaki’s Line-Penetration, Encirclement, and Advance toward Arjuna
स तस्यैव प्रसादाद् वो हन्यादेव रिपुर्बली । नागत्वा शंकरस्थानं भगवान् दृश्यते हर:,“वह बलवान शत्रु भगवान् शंकरके ही प्रसादसे निश्चय ही तुम सब लोगोंको मार सकता है। अतः भगवान् शंकरके निवासस्थानपर गये बिना उनका दर्शन नहीं हो सकता
sa tasyaiva prasādād vo hanyād eva ripur balī | nāgatvā śaṅkarasthānaṃ bhagavān dṛśyate haraḥ |
Sañjaya said: “That mighty enemy, empowered solely by Śaṅkara’s favor, could indeed slay all of you. Therefore, unless one goes to Śaṅkara’s own abode, the Blessed Lord Hara cannot be beheld.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the decisive force of divine grace (prasāda): worldly strength in war can become overwhelming when backed by Śaṅkara’s favor, and true encounter with the divine is framed as requiring purposeful approach—seeking the Lord at his own ‘abode’ rather than expecting revelation on one’s own terms.
Sañjaya warns the Kuru side that their formidable opponent’s capacity to destroy them is rooted in Śaṅkara’s blessing. He adds that Hara (Śiva) is not easily seen; one must go to Śaṅkara’s own dwelling/place to obtain his vision, implying the need for deliberate devotion or a specific sacred approach.