Shloka 15
Omens in the Kuru Host and Droṇa’s Recognition of Arjuna (क्लीबवेषधारी पार्थ-परिज्ञानम्)
तमाव्रजन्तं त्वरितं प्रभिन्नमिव कुड्जरम् । अन्वगच्छद् विशालाक्षी गजं गजवधूरिव,सुन्दर कटिप्रदेशवाली सखी उत्तराके ऐसा कहनेपर शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले अर्जुन अमितपराक्रमी राजकुमार उत्तरके समीप गये। मद टपकानेवाले गजराजकी भाँति शीघ्रतापूर्वक आते हुए अर्जुनके पीछे-पीछे विशाल नेत्रोंवाली उत्तरा भी आयी; ठीक उसी तरह, जैसे हथिनी हाथीके पीछे-पीछे जाती है
tam āvrajantaṁ tvaritaṁ prabhinnam iva kuñjaram | anvagacchad viśālākṣī gajaṁ gajavadhūr iva ||
तो वे वेगाने पुढे जात होते, जणू मदोन्मत्त गजराज; त्यांच्या मागोमाग विशाल नेत्रांची उत्तरा अशीच चालली, जशी हत्तीण आपल्या हत्तीच्या मागे जाते.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights purposeful action and reliance on rightful protection: the capable protector advances decisively toward the task, and the dependent companion follows with trust. Ethically, it frames courage and responsibility as complementary—strength expressed as guardianship, and trust expressed as steady accompaniment.
Arjuna moves quickly toward his objective, compared to a rutting elephant rushing forward. Uttarā, described as large-eyed, follows him closely, compared to a female elephant following the male—emphasizing both Arjuna’s forceful momentum and Uttarā’s close, trusting pursuit.