Shloka 18
विराटसभायां पाण्डवानां प्रवेशः — Arjuna’s Encomium of Yudhiṣṭhira in Virāṭa’s Court
न ते पुरस्तादथ पृष्ठतो वा पश्यामि दुर्योधन रक्षितारम् अपेहि युद्धात् पुरुषप्रवीर प्राणान् प्रियान् पाण्डवतोउद्य रक्ष,दुर्योधन! अच्छा, तेरे आगे या पीछे कोई रक्षक नहीं दिखायी देता। अतः वीर पुरुष! तू युद्धसे भाग जा और पाण्डुपुत्र अर्जुनके हाथसे आज अपने प्यारे प्राणोंकी रक्षा कर ले
na te purastād atha pṛṣṭhato vā paśyāmi duryodhana rakṣitāram | apehi yuddhāt puruṣapravīra prāṇān priyān pāṇḍavato 'dya rakṣa ||
അർജുനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ദുര്യോധനാ, നിന്റെ മുന്നിലോ പിന്നിലോ നിന്നെ കാക്കുന്നവനെ ഞാൻ കാണുന്നില്ല. അതിനാൽ, പുരുഷപ്രവീരാ, ഈ യുദ്ധത്തിൽ നിന്ന് പിന്മാറി, ഇന്ന് പാണ്ഡവന്റെ കൈയിൽ നിന്ന് നിന്റെ പ്രിയജീവൻ രക്ഷിക്കൂ.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the warrior ethic of frank counsel even toward an enemy: Arjuna openly warns Duryodhana that he stands without protection and urges him to withdraw to preserve life. It frames combat as a realm where courage includes clear speech and where the opponent is still addressed with honorific recognition (“foremost of men”).
In the Virāṭa episode’s climactic battle, Arjuna confronts Duryodhana and declares that no defender stands before or behind him. Arjuna then challenges him to leave the fight, warning that otherwise Duryodhana must face the Pāṇḍava’s (Arjuna’s) power and risk his life.