Shloka 11
रणे प्रमत्तौ वीरौ च सदा शत्रुनिबर्हणी
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca | raṇe pramattau vīrau ca sadā śatrunibarhaṇī | dharmaputro mahābāhur vilalāpa suvistaram ||
वैशम्पायन उवाच— रणे प्रमत्तौ वीरौ च सदा शत्रुनिबर्हणौ। तौ दृष्ट्वा पतितौ भूमौ महाबाहुर्धर्मपुत्रः सुविस्तरं विललाप। “कथं नु कुन्तीपुत्रौ महाबलौ भीमसेनधनञ्जयौ— यौ सर्वास्त्राप्रतिहतौ, समरे प्रमत्तौ, सदा शत्रून् निबर्हणौ— अद्य सहसा रिपुवशं गतौ?”
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the most celebrated strength and martial excellence can be overturned by adverse fate; dharma is tested not only in victory but in how one responds to sudden loss—through truthful recognition of suffering, restraint, and renewed discernment rather than despair.
Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Yudhiṣṭhira, seeing renowned warriors who habitually crush enemies now seemingly overcome, breaks into prolonged lamentation—an emotional and ethical reaction to an unexpected reversal in battle.