Shloka 15
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 64: Arjuna’s Instruction to Sanjaya
Message to the Kuru Assembly
यच्चैव नगरे तस्मिउ्छूयते महदद्धुतम् । एकस्य च बहूनां च पर्याप्त तन्निदर्शनम्,विराटनगरमें तुम्हारे भाइयोंसहित जो सारी सेना युद्धके लिये गयी थी, वह वहाँकी समस्त गौओंको छोड़कर अत्यन्त भयभीत हो तुम्हारे सामने ही भाग खड़ी हुई थी। उस नगरमें जो एक (अर्जुन)-का बहुतोंके साथ अत्यन्त अद्भुत युद्ध हुआ सुना जाता है; वह एक ही दृष्टान्त (उसकी प्रबलता और अजेयताके लिये) पर्याप्त है
yac caiva nagare tasmin śrūyate mahad adbhutam | ekasya ca bahūnāṁ ca paryāptaṁ tan nidarśanam ||
И сверх того, в том самом городе рассказывают о великом чуде: о поразительном бою одного воина против многих. Одного этого примера достаточно как доказательства — он являет мощь и непобедимость того героя (Арджуны), перед которым в городе Вирата всё войско твоих братьев некогда в ужасе обратилось в бегство, бросив захваченный скот.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vidura urges sober judgment: even one well-attested example can be decisive evidence. The reported feat of one warrior defeating many is presented as sufficient proof of Arjuna’s overwhelming strength, implying that pursuing war against the Pāṇḍavas is ethically and strategically reckless.
Vidura reminds the listener of the famous Virāṭa episode: at Virāṭa’s city, the Kaurava force that went to seize cattle was routed and fled in fear when confronted by a single champion—understood to be Arjuna. He cites this as a widely known marvel and as a warning against underestimating the Pāṇḍavas.