Shloka 3
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Anxiety and Bhīṣma’s Theological Explanation of Pāṇḍava Invincibility
Book 6, Chapter 61
प्रार्थयाना यशो दीप्त॑ मृत्युं कृत्वा निवर्तनम्
prārthayānā yaśo dīptaṃ mṛtyuṃ kṛtvā nivartanam | tato niścitya yuddhāt nivartanaṃ mṛtyur eva iti ekāgracittā yuddhe ’vatiṣṭhanta | rājan, te yuddhe tādṛśīṃ tatparatāṃ darśayām āsuḥ yathā punaḥ punaḥ pāṇḍava-senāṃ titar-bitaram akurvan |
桑阇耶说道：“为求炽烈的名声，他们决意：除死亡之外，别无他物能使他们退出战斗。心念专注于此，他们在战阵中屹立不退。大王啊，他们在交锋中显出不息的锐意，以致一次又一次将般度军冲散，使之纷乱。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the warrior ethic of steadfastness: once committed to battle for honor and duty, they accept death as the only legitimate cause for withdrawal. It frames resolve and single-pointed focus as decisive forces in war, while also hinting at the moral tension of pursuing fame amid destruction.
Sanjaya reports to King Dhritarashtra that the fighters (in context, the Kuru side) fought with intense determination, deciding they would not retreat unless killed. Their repeated assaults caused the Pandava forces to break formation and scatter multiple times.