Shloka 60
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 94: Sātyaki–Sudarśana Yuddha (सात्यकि–सुदर्शन युद्ध)
ततः सर्वाणि सैन्यानि सेनामुख्याश्न सर्वश: । प्राद्रवन्त हतं दृष्टवा श्रुतायुधमरिंदमम्,शत्रुसूदन श्रुतायुधको इस प्रकार मारा गया देख सारे सैनिक और सम्पूर्ण सेनापति वहाँसे भाग खड़े हुए
tataḥ sarvāṇi sainyāni senāmukhyāś ca sarvaśaḥ | prādravan hataṁ dṛṣṭvā śrutāyudham ariṁdamam ||
قال سنجيا: «ثم لما رأوا شروتايوذ—قاهر الأعداء—قد قُتل، تفرّقت الجموع وقادةُ الصفوف من كل جهة، وانكسروا وفرّوا.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of collective courage in warfare: when a famed warrior falls, fear spreads rapidly, and even leaders may abandon formation. It implicitly warns that reliance on a single champion and on reputation alone is unstable, and that ethical shock and panic can overturn discipline.
Sañjaya reports that after Śrutāyudha is seen slain, the soldiers and principal commanders lose heart and flee in all directions, marking a sudden collapse of that side’s battlefield cohesion.