Shloka 57
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration
Sañjaya’s Report
यदा विपाठा मद्भुजविप्रमुक्ता द्विजा: फलानीव महीरुहाग्रात् प्रचेतार उत्तमाड़ानि यूनां तदा युद्ध धार्तराष्ट्रोडन्वतप्स्यत्
sañjaya uvāca | yadā vipāṭhā mad-bhuja-vipramuktā dvijāḥ phalānīva mahīruhāgrāt pracetāra uttamāṅgāni yūnāṃ tadā yuddhe dhārtarāṣṭro 'nutapsyate |
サンジャヤは言った。「わが腕より放たれたヴィパーṭハの矢が、若き戦士たちの首級を刈り取り、山のように積み上げるであろう――鳥が木々の梢から果実を打ち落として地に堆く積むように。その虐殺を戦場で目の当たりにしたとき、ドリタラーシュトラの子ドゥルヨーダナは、苦い悔恨に捕らえられる。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the moral logic of consequence: when one drives events toward unjust war, the inevitable suffering returns as remorse. It foreshadows that Duryodhana’s choices will culminate in visible devastation, awakening regret too late to prevent harm.
Sañjaya describes a future battlefield scene: arrows called Vipāṭha, shot with great force, will decapitate young fighters, piling heads like fallen fruit. Seeing this carnage, Duryodhana (Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son) will be overwhelmed with repentance.