Shloka 1
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
अफ्-#-रात पञ्चविशो< ध्याय: अर्जुन और भीमसेनद्वारा कौरवोंकी रथसेना एवं गजसेनाका संहार, अश्चवृत्थामा आदिके द्वारा दुर्योधनकी खोज, कौरवसेनाका पलायन तथा सात्यकिद्वारा संजयका पकड़ा जाना संजय उवाच पश्यतां यतमानानां शूराणामनिवर्तिनाम् । संकल्पमकरोन्मोघं गाण्डीवेन धनंजय:,संजय कहते हैं--महाराज! यद्यपि कौरवयोद्धा युद्धसे पीछे न हटनेवाले शूरवीर थे और विजयके लिये पूरा प्रयत्न कर रहे थे तो भी उनके देखते-देखते अर्जुनने गाण्डीव धनुषसे उनके संकल्पको व्यर्थ कर दिया
sañjaya uvāca | paśyatāṃ yatamānānāṃ śūrāṇām anivartinām | saṅkalpam akarod moghaṃ gāṇḍīvena dhanañjayaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: O King, even as those heroes—striving with all their might and refusing to turn back—looked on, Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) made their resolve come to nothing with the Gāṇḍīva bow. The verse underscores how mere determination in war, when yoked to an unrighteous cause, can be rendered futile by superior skill aligned with a juster purpose.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that courage and effort alone do not guarantee success; when a cause is ethically compromised or strategically inferior, even steadfast resolve can be nullified by a more capable opponent. It also reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring theme that dharma and right alignment matter alongside valor.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava fighters, though brave and determined and watching closely, were outmatched: Arjuna, wielding the Gāṇḍīva, broke their momentum and rendered their battle-plans ineffective, setting the tone for the ensuing rout and destruction described in the chapter.