Shloka 12

Arjuna’s Absence, Bhīma’s Kṣātra-Dharma Appeal, and Bṛhadaśva’s Arrival

Nala-Upākhyāna Begins

Devanagari script

सर्वे प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठा: सर्वे चामिततेजस: । सर्वे सर्वास्त्रिविद्वांसो देवैरपि सुदुर्जया:,सभी पाण्डव प्रहार करनेवाले योद्धाओंमें श्रेष्ठ हैं। सभी अपरिमित तेजसे सम्पन्न हैं तथा सबको सभी अस्त्रोंका परिज्ञान है, अतः वे देवताओंके लिये भी अत्यन्त दुर्जय हैं

Transliteration

sarve praharatāṃ śreṣṭhāḥ sarve cāmitatejasaḥ | sarve sarvāstravidvāṃso devair api sudurjayāḥ ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「彼らは皆、戦場で打ちかかる者の中でも最も卓越した勇士であり、計り知れぬ光輝と武威を備えている。あらゆる武器と飛び道具（アストラ）に通暁しているゆえ、彼らを征服するのは、神々にとってさえきわめて困難である。」

Word by Word

सर्वेall

प्रहरताम्of the strikers/attackers (warriors who strike)

श्रेष्ठाःbest, foremost

सर्वेall

चand

अमिततेजसःof immeasurable splendor/energy

सर्वेall

सर्वास्त्रविद्वांसःknowers of all weapons (all-weapon-knowing)

देवैःby the gods

अपिeven, also

सुदुर्जयाःvery hard to conquer

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

the Pāṇḍavas (implied by context: 'all of them')

the gods (devas)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that true strength in dharmic leadership is not mere aggression but disciplined excellence—mastery, restraint, and radiant inner power (tejas). Such integrated capability makes righteous warriors formidable even against seemingly superior forces.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing the extraordinary martial caliber of the group being discussed (contextually, the Pāṇḍavas), emphasizing their superiority in combat, their immense tejas, and their comprehensive knowledge of weapons—so great that even the gods would find them hard to defeat.