अर्जुनस्य शीघ्रप्रयाणं भीम-शकुनियुद्धं च
Arjuna’s Rapid Advance and the Bhīma–Śakuni Encounter
युद्धशौण्डौ समाहूतावागतौ तौ रणाध्वरम्
yuddhaśauṇḍau samāhūtāv āgatau tau raṇādhvaram
সঞ্জয় বললেন—যুদ্ধকুশলী সেই দুইজন আহ্বান পেয়ে রণাধ্বরে উপস্থিত হলেন; যেন যুদ্ধ-যজ্ঞে ঋত্বিজের মতো, ভয়ংকর কর্তব্য পালনে প্রস্তুত।
संजय उवाच
The verse frames warfare through the metaphor of a sacrifice (adhvara), suggesting that for kṣatriyas the battlefield is a solemn arena of duty where courage and obligation are enacted—yet with an implicit ethical weight, since this ‘sacrifice’ consumes lives rather than offerings.
Sañjaya reports that two battle-eager warriors, having been summoned, arrive at the battlefield, indicating the immediate mobilization of key fighters and the escalation of the conflict.