Shloka 18
भीष्मवधोपाय-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into the means to overcome Bhīṣma) | Chapter 103
त॑ दृष्टवा क्षत्रिया: शूरा: प्रतपन्तं तरस्विनम् । द्विफाल्गुनमिमं लोक॑ मेनिरे तस्य कर्मभि:
taṁ dṛṣṭvā kṣatriyāḥ śūrāḥ pratapantaṁ tarasvinam | dviphalgunam imaṁ lokaṁ menire tasya karmabhiḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Melihat wira yang tangkas dan perkasa itu menyala dengan semangat perang serta menimpakan derita kepada musuh, para kṣatriya yang gagah, menilai daripada perbuatannya, pun menyangka bahawa di dunia ini kini ada dua Arjuna.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Deeds shape perception and moral authority in the battlefield: extraordinary valor and effectiveness can elevate a warrior’s standing so greatly that others speak of him as equal to a legendary exemplar (here, Arjuna). The verse highlights how kṣatriya-dharma evaluates a fighter primarily through visible conduct—courage, force, and impact—rather than mere claims.
Sañjaya reports that the assembled warrior-nobles, witnessing a forceful hero ‘blazing’ in combat and causing intense distress to opponents, were astonished by his performance. On the strength of his actions, they concluded that it was as if the world now contained ‘two Arjunas’—i.e., someone fighting with Arjuna-like prowess.