Shloka 59
अर्जुनं वयमस्मान् वा निहन्यात् कपिकेतन: । त॑ चालमिति मन्यन्ते सव्यसाचिवधे धृता:
arjunaṁ vayam asmān vā nihanyāt kapiketanaḥ | taṁ cālam iti manyante savyasācivadhe dhṛtāḥ ||
难敌说道：“或是那旗绘猿猴的阿周那杀了我们，或是我们杀了他。然而，那些立誓要诛灭‘善射者’萨维亚萨钦的人却以为：‘这便足够了。’”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fixation on a single objective—here, the desire to kill a famed opponent—can narrow judgment and foster overconfidence. It implicitly critiques the ethical blindness of valuing victory or personal glory over sober assessment and righteous conduct.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Duryodhana speaks about Arjuna’s threat and stature. He notes the stark possibilities—either Arjuna kills them or they kill Arjuna—while observing that some among his side, determined to slay Arjuna (Savyasācin), treat that aim alone as ‘sufficient,’ revealing their hardened resolve and bravado.