Shloka 32
Virāṭa’s Conciliation and Uttara’s Account of the Unseen Champion
Bṛhannadā/Arjuna
अतीव पाण्डवो भीष्म भीष्मश्नातीव पाण्डवम् | बभूव तस्मिन् संग्रामे राजंललोके तदद््भुतम्,राजा जनमेजय! उस युद्धमें कभी पाण्डुपुत्र अर्जुन भीष्मसे बढ़ जाते थे, तो कभी भीष्म ही अर्जुनको लाँघ जाते थे। जगत्में यह एक अद्भुत बात थी
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
atīva pāṇḍavo bhīṣma bhīṣmaś cātīva pāṇḍavam |
babhūva tasmin saṅgrāme rājañ loke tad adbhutam, rājā janamejaya ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Wahai Raja Janamejaya, dalam pertempuran itu terjadilah suatu keajaiban yang diperkatakan di dunia—ada kalanya Pāṇḍava (Arjuna) mengatasi Bhīṣma, dan ada kalanya Bhīṣma pula mengatasi Pāṇḍava. Demikianlah pertemuan itu menzahirkan keseimbangan luar biasa antara keperkasaan dan keteguhan, apabila tiada keunggulan yang mutlak dan masing-masing diuji oleh yang lain.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Excellence is not portrayed as one-sided: even the greatest warriors meet worthy equals. The verse highlights humility before skill, the testing of prowess through fair contest, and the awe inspired when dharma-bound kṣatriyas display peak capability without easy superiority.
Vaiśampāyana describes a battle scene to Janamejaya in which Arjuna and Bhīṣma alternately gain the upper hand. The shifting advantage is presented as a world-noted marvel, emphasizing the extraordinary caliber of both combatants.