Mahabharata 7.43.18 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 43, Shloka 18
अभिमन्योर् दारुणः संमर्दः
Abhimanyu’s fierce melee amid chariot formations
सुभद्राकुमार अभिमन्युने पहले गजारोहियोंसहित बहुत-से गजराजोंको मारकर व्यूहमें प्रवेश करनेके लिये जो पाण्डवोंको मार्ग दिखा दिया था, उसे जयद्रथने बंद कर दिया ।।
yatamānās tu te vīrā matsya-pañcāla-kekayāḥ | pāṇḍavāś cānvapadyanta pratiṣekur na saindhavam ||
Sañjaya berkata: Abhimanyu, putera Subhadrā, telah terlebih dahulu membunuh banyak raja gajah bersama para penunggangnya, lalu memperlihatkan jalan bagi Pāṇḍava untuk memasuki vyūha (susunan tempur); namun Jayadratha menutup jalan itu. Para pahlawan itu—Matsya, Pañcāla, Kekaya, dan Pāṇḍava—berulang kali berusaha menyerbu dan memecahkan susunan perang; tetapi berhadapan dengan raja Sindhu (Jayadratha), mereka tidak mampu bertahan atau memaksa terbukanya laluan. Adegan ini menegaskan bahawa seorang pertahan tunggal yang teguh, ditempatkan di titik sempit yang genting, mampu menggagalkan tekad yang benar apabila strategi dan keadaan berpihak sebaliknya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Persistent effort (prayatna) is essential, yet outcomes in dharmic conflict also depend on positioning, timing, and the opponent’s strategic advantage. The verse highlights the ethical tension of righteous intent meeting practical constraints: valor alone may not suffice without coordinated means.
The allied forces of the Pāṇḍavas—Matsyas, Pañcālas, and Kekayas—repeatedly attempt to break into the enemy formation, but Jayadratha, stationed as a key defender, successfully checks their advance and prevents them from pushing through.
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