Shloka 486
अध्याय ३: कृपस्य दुर्योधनं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः
Kṛpa’s Counsel to Duryodhana
यदेनं पाण्डवा: सर्वे न शेकुरतिवर्तितुम् । दुर्योधन भी बिना किसी घबराहटके अपने बाणोंद्वारा उन शत्रुओंको छिन्न-भिन्न करने लगा। वहाँ हमलोगोंने आपके पुत्रका अद्भुत पराक्रम देखा कि समस्त पाण्डव मिलकर भी उसे लाँधकर आगे न बढ़ सके
yad enaṃ pāṇḍavāḥ sarve na śekur ativartitum | duryodhanaḥ bhayā vinā nirghṛṣṭaḥ svaiḥ śaraiḥ tān śatrūn chinna-bhinnaṃ cakāra | tatra vayaṃ te putrasya adbhutaṃ parākramaṃ dadṛśima—yat samastāḥ pāṇḍavā api taṃ laṅghayitvā agre na śekuḥ gantum ||
Sañjaya berkata: Semua Pāṇḍava sekalipun bersatu, mereka tidak mampu melepasi dirinya. Duryodhana, tanpa sedikit pun gentar, mula mengoyak-ngoyakkan musuh-musuh itu dengan anak panahnya. Di sana kami menyaksikan keperkasaan luar biasa puteramu: bahkan seluruh angkatan Pāṇḍava yang bersatu pun tidak dapat melangkaui dirinya dan mara ke hadapan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how martial prowess and fearlessness can momentarily dominate the battlefield, yet it also subtly frames such power as an object of observation rather than moral endorsement—reminding the listener (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) that admiration for one’s side must be weighed against the larger ethical consequences of the war.
Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana forms an effective barrier: the Pāṇḍavas cannot break past him. Duryodhana, unafraid, strikes down opponents with volleys of arrows, and the Kaurava observers witness his extraordinary battlefield performance.