Shloka 1
भीष्मव्यूहदर्शनम् / Viewing Bhīṣma’s Battle Array and Arjuna’s Reassurance
संजय कहते हैं--राजन! युद्धके लिये उद्यत हुई दुर्योधनकी विशाल सेनाको देखकर कुन्तीपुत्र राजा युधिष्ठिरके मनमें विषाद छा गया
sañjaya uvāca—rājan! yuddhāya udyatāṃ duryodhanasya viśālāṃ senāṃ dṛṣṭvā kuntīputrasya rājñaḥ yudhiṣṭhirasya manasi viṣādaḥ samacchāyat.
Sañjaya disse: Ó rei, quando Yudhiṣṭhira—filho de Kuntī—viu o vasto exército de Duryodhana plenamente preparado para a guerra, um profundo desalento tomou conta de sua mente.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical shock that can arise when duty leads toward violence: even a righteous king like Yudhishthira can be overwhelmed by viṣāda upon confronting the human and moral cost of war. It frames the Mahabharata’s recurring inquiry into dharma—how to act rightly when every option carries harm.
Sanjaya reports to King Dhritarashtra that Yudhishthira, seeing Duryodhana’s large, battle-ready force, becomes despondent. This sets the emotional and moral atmosphere on the eve of combat, showing the Pandava leader’s hesitation and inner turmoil.