Duryodhana-śibira-praveśaḥ — The Pāṇḍavas Enter the Kaurava Camp; The Burning of Arjuna’s Chariot
पूर्वरनुगतो मार्गों देवैरसुरघातिभि: । सद्धिश्वानुगतः पन्था: स सर्वैरनुगम्यते
pūrvarānugato mārgo devair asuraghātibhiḥ | saddhiśvānugataḥ panthāḥ sa sarvair anugamyate ||
قال سَنْجَيا: «لقد سُلِكَ من جديد الطريقُ الذي سلكته الآلهةُ من قبل، أولئك الذين يُهلكون الأسورا. فأيُّ دربٍ سار عليه النبلاءُ والصالحون حقًّا، فذلك بعينه ما يتّبعه الجميع.»
संजय उवाच
The verse teaches that dharma becomes authoritative through the precedent set by the virtuous: when the noble adopt a path, it naturally becomes the model that others follow. Ethical leadership and exemplary conduct shape collective behavior.
Sañjaya, narrating events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, inserts a reflective maxim: just as the ancient gods took a certain course in overcoming destructive forces (Asuras), so too the righteous course established by the good is the one people generally imitate—framing the war narrative within a moral lens of following proven righteous precedent.