वैशंपायन उवाच
सुदीर्घम् उष्णं निःश्वस्य धृतराष्ट्रो ऽम्बिकासुतः ॥
अब्रवीत् संजयं सूतम् आमन्त्र्य भरतर्षभ ॥
देवपुत्रौ महाभागौ देवराजसमद्युती ॥
नकुलः सहदेवश् च पाण्डवौ युद्धदुर्मदौ ॥
दृढायुधौ दूरपातौ युद्धे च कृतनिश्चयौ ॥
शीघ्रहस्तौ दृढक्रोधौ नित्ययुक्तौ तरस्विनौ ॥
भीमार्जुनौ पुरोधाय यदा तौ रणमूर्धनि ॥
स्थास्येते सिंहविक्रान्ताव् अश्विनाव् इव दुःसहौ ॥
न शेषम् इह पश्यामि तदा सैन्यस्य संजय ॥
तौ ह्य् अप्रतिरथौ युद्धे देवपुत्रौ महारथौ ॥
द्रौपद्यास् तं परिक्लेशं न क्षंस्येते त्व् अमर्षिणौ ॥
वृष्णयो वा महेष्वासा पाञ्चाला वा महौजसः ॥
युधि सत्याभिसंधेन वासुदेवेन रक्षिताः ॥
प्रधक्ष्यन्ति रणे पार्थाः पुत्राणां मम वाहिनीम् ॥
रामकृष्णप्रणीतानां वृष्णीनां सूतनन्दन ॥
न शक्यः सहितुं वेगः पर्वतैर् अपि संयुगे ॥
तेषां मध्ये महेष्वासो भीमो भीमपराक्रमः ॥
शैक्यया वीरघातिन्या गदया विचरिष्यति ॥
तथा गाण्डीवनिर्घोषं विस्फूर्जितम् इवाशनेः ॥
गदावेगं च भीमस्य नालं सोढुं नराधिपाः ॥
ततो ऽहं सुहृदां वाचो दुर्योधनवशानुगः ॥
स्मरणीयाः स्मरिष्यामि मया या न कृताः पुरा ॥
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
sudīrgham uṣṇaṃ niḥśvasya dhṛtarāṣṭro 'mbikāsutaḥ ||
abravīt saṃjayaṃ sūtam āmantrya bharatarṣabha ||
devaputrau mahābhāgau devarājasamadyutī ||
nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca pāṇḍavau yuddhadurmadau ||
dṛḍhāyudhau dūrapātau yuddhe ca kṛtaniścayau ||
śīghrahastau dṛḍhakrodhau nityayuktau tarasvinau ||
bhīmārjunau purodhāya yadā tau raṇamūrdhani ||
sthāsyete siṃhavikrāntāv aśvināv iva duḥsahau ||
na śeṣam iha paśyāmi tadā sainyasya saṃjaya ||
tau hy apratirathau yuddhe devaputrau mahārathau ||
draupadyās taṃ parikleśaṃ na kṣaṃsyete tv amarṣiṇau ||
vṛṣṇayo vā maheṣvāsā pāñcālā vā mahaujasaḥ ||
yudhi satyābhisaṃdhena vāsudevena rakṣitāḥ ||
pradhakṣyanti raṇe pārthāḥ putrāṇāṃ mama vāhinīm ||
rāmakṛṣṇapraṇītānāṃ vṛṣṇīnāṃ sūtanandana ||
na śakyaḥ sahituṃ vegaḥ parvatair api saṃyuge ||
teṣāṃ madhye maheṣvāso bhīmo bhīmaparākramaḥ ||
śaikyayā vīraghātinyā gadayā vicariṣyati ||
tathā gāṇḍīvanirghoṣaṃ visphūrjitam ivāśaneḥ ||
gadāvegaṃ ca bhīmasya nālaṃ soḍhuṃ narādhipāḥ ||
tato 'haṃ suhṛdāṃ vāco duryodhanavaśānugaḥ ||
smaraṇīyāḥ smariṣyāmi mayā yā na kṛtāḥ purā ||
Dhritarashtra, son of Ambika, sighed long and hot, and said to Sanjaya: 'Nakula and Sahadeva, those two blessed sons of gods, blazing like the king of the gods, the Pandavas proud in battle, firmly armed, far-striking, resolute, swift of hand, fierce in anger and ever alert -- when they set Bhima and Arjuna before them and take their stand at the head of the battle, unbearable as the twin Ashvins in their lion-like valor, I see no remnant left of my army. They are unmatched great chariot-warriors and will not forgive the torment of Draupadi. The Vrishnis and the Panchalas, protected by the ever-truthful Vasudeva, will burn down the army of my sons. Even the mountains could not withstand the onrush of the Vrishnis, led by Rama and Krishna, in battle. Among them the mighty archer Bhima, terrible in valor, will roam with his hero-slaying mace; kings will not be able to endure the roar of the Gandiva or the force of his mace's blow. Then I shall remember the words of my friends, which I failed to heed before, following the will of Duryodhana.'
ec96b3217e03 · published Jul 16, 2026, 4:51:21 PM UTC
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Dhritarashtra lists the strengths of the Pandavas like a man who already sees the outcome. But his memory of good counsel comes only after the choice has already been made.