अर्जुन उवाच
विहाय कीर्तिं विपुलं यशश् च; युद्धात् परावृत्य पलायसे किम् ॥
न ते ऽद्य तूर्याणि समाहतानि; यथावद् उद्यान्ति गतस्य युद्धे ॥
युधिष्ठिरस्यास्मि निदेशकारी; पार्थस् तृतीयो युधि च स्थिरो ऽस्मि ॥
तदर्थम् आवृत्य मुखं प्रयच्छ; नरेन्द्रवृत्तं स्मर धार्तराष्ट्र ॥
मोघं तवेदं भुवि नामधेयं; दुर्योधनेतीह कृतं पुरस्तात् ॥
न हीह दुर्योधनता तवास्ति; पलायमानस्य रणं विहाय ॥
न ते पुरस्ताद् अथ पृष्ठतो वा; पश्यामि दुर्योधन रक्षितारम् ॥
परैहि युद्धेन कुरुप्रवीर; प्राणान् प्रियान् पाण्डवतो ऽद्य रक्ष ॥
arjuna uvāca
vihāya kīrtiṃ vipulaṃ yaśaś ca; yuddhāt parāvṛtya palāyase kim ||
na te 'dya tūryāṇi samāhatāni; yathāvad udyānti gatasya yuddhe ||
yudhiṣṭhirasyāsmi nideśakārī; pārthas tṛtīyo yudhi ca sthiro 'smi ||
tadartham āvṛtya mukhaṃ prayaccha; narendravṛttaṃ smara dhārtarāṣṭra ||
moghaṃ tavedaṃ bhuvi nāmadheyaṃ; duryodhanetīha kṛtaṃ purastāt ||
na hīha duryodhanatā tavāsti; palāyamānasya raṇaṃ vihāya ||
na te purastād atha pṛṣṭhato vā; paśyāmi duryodhana rakṣitāram ||
paraihi yuddhena kurupravīra; prāṇān priyān pāṇḍavato 'dya rakṣa ||
Arjuna said: 'Having abandoned wide fame and honor, why do you turn from the battle and flee? Today the trumpets will not sound for you as befits one who has left the field of battle. I carry out Yudhishthira's command; I am the third Partha, and I stand firm in battle. For this, turn your face back and remember the conduct of a king, O son of Dhritarashtra. In vain was the name Duryodhana given to you on earth before now: there is no unconquerable might in you, now that you flee, having abandoned the battle. Neither before you nor behind you, Duryodhana, do I see a protector. Come forth to battle, best of the Kurus; today defend your dear life from the Pandava.'
d3ad519e245c · published Jul 16, 2026, 6:42:56 PM UTC
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Arjuna strikes with words exactly where Duryodhana had built his self-image: his name, his fame, his conduct as a king. For a warrior, flight becomes an inner judgment even before any outward defeat.