Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 83

द्रोणपर्व (अध्याय ११२) — कर्णभीमयोर्युद्धम्, दुर्योधनस्य रक्षणादेशः

Droṇa-parva 112: Karṇa–Bhīma Engagement and Duryodhana’s Protective Order

तन्न जानामि वार्ष्णेय यदि जीवति वा न वा । कुरूणां चापि तत्‌ सैन्यं सागरप्रतिमं महत्‌,वार्ष्णेय! पता नहीं, इस समयतक अर्जुन जीवित है या नहीं। महासमरमें जिसके वेगको सहन करना देवताओंके लिये भी असम्भव है, कौरवोंकी वह सेना समुद्रके समान विशाल है, तात! उस कौरवी-सेनामें महाबाहु अर्जुनने अकेले ही प्रवेश किया है

tan na jānāmi vārṣṇeya yadi jīvati vā na vā | kurūṇāṃ cāpi tat sainyaṃ sāgara-pratimaṃ mahat |

ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠಿರನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ವಾರ್ಷ್ಣೇಯಾ! ಈ ಕ್ಷಣ ಅರ್ಜುನನು ಜೀವಂತನಾಗಿದ್ದಾನೋ ಇಲ್ಲವೋ ನನಗೆ ತಿಳಿಯದು. ಕುರುಗಳ ಸೇನೆ ಸಮುದ್ರದಂತೆ ಮಹತ್ತಾಗಿದೆ; ಮಹಾಯುದ್ಧದಲ್ಲಿ ಅದರ ಆಘಾತವನ್ನು ದೇವರೂ ಸಹಿಸಲಾರರು. ಅಂಥ ಕೌರವ-ಸೇನೆಯೊಳಗೆ ಮಹಾಬಾಹು ಅರ್ಜುನನು ಒಬ್ಬನೇ ಪ್ರವೇಶಿಸಿದ್ದಾನೆ.

{'tat''that', 'na jānāmi': 'I do not know', 'vārṣṇeya': 'O descendant of the Vṛṣṇis (address to Kṛṣṇa)', 'yadi': 'whether/if', 'jīvati': 'is alive, lives', 'vā ... vā': 'either ... or', 'kurūṇām': 'of the Kurus/Kauravas', 'ca api': 'and also', 'sainyam': 'army, host', 'sāgara-pratimam': 'comparable to the ocean', 'mahat': 'great, vast'}
{'tat':

युधिष्ठिर उवाच

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira
K
Kṛṣṇa (Vārṣṇeya)
A
Arjuna
K
Kurus/Kauravas
D
Devas (gods)
K
Kaurava army (sainya)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the ethical burden of leadership and kinship in war: even a dharmic king like Yudhiṣṭhira is shaken by uncertainty over a loved one’s survival, while also recognizing the overwhelming scale of violence. It underscores humility before fate and the human cost that persists even in a righteous cause.

In the Drona Parva’s intense fighting, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Kṛṣṇa as Vārṣṇeya, confessing he does not know whether Arjuna lives. He describes the Kaurava forces as ocean-like and nearly irresistible, and notes that Arjuna has entered that massive enemy formation alone, heightening the tension and fear for Arjuna’s safety.