Shloka 3
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Anxiety and Bhīṣma’s Theological Explanation of Pāṇḍava Invincibility
Book 6, Chapter 61
प्रार्थयाना यशो दीप्त॑ मृत्युं कृत्वा निवर्तनम्
prārthayānā yaśo dīptaṃ mṛtyuṃ kṛtvā nivartanam | tato niścitya yuddhāt nivartanaṃ mṛtyur eva iti ekāgracittā yuddhe ’vatiṣṭhanta | rājan, te yuddhe tādṛśīṃ tatparatāṃ darśayām āsuḥ yathā punaḥ punaḥ pāṇḍava-senāṃ titar-bitaram akurvan |
Sañjaya berkata: “Mengejar kemasyhuran yang gemilang, mereka menetapkan bahawa tiada apa selain maut yang akan memalingkan mereka daripada pertempuran. Dengan fikiran terpaku pada tekad itu, mereka berdiri teguh dalam perang. Wahai Raja, mereka menunjukkan kesiagaan tempur yang tidak mengenal lelah sehingga berkali-kali menghamburkan angkatan Pāṇḍava menjadi kucar-kacir.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the warrior ethic of steadfastness: once committed to battle for honor and duty, they accept death as the only legitimate cause for withdrawal. It frames resolve and single-pointed focus as decisive forces in war, while also hinting at the moral tension of pursuing fame amid destruction.
Sanjaya reports to King Dhritarashtra that the fighters (in context, the Kuru side) fought with intense determination, deciding they would not retreat unless killed. Their repeated assaults caused the Pandava forces to break formation and scatter multiple times.