Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 52
शल्यस्य पाण्डवसेनापीडनम् — Śalya’s Assault on the Pāṇḍava Host
with Omens and Bhīma’s Counter
कर्णपुत्रवधध॑ दृष्टवा नकुलस्य च विक्रमम् । प्रदुद्राव भयात् सेना तावकी भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ! कर्णपुत्रोंका वध और नकुलका पराक्रम देखकर आपकी सेना भयसे भाग चली
sañjaya uvāca | karṇaputra-vadhaṁ dṛṣṭvā nakulasya ca vikramam | pradudrāva bhayāt senā tāvakī bharatarṣabha bharataśreṣṭha ||
হে ভরতশ্রেষ্ঠ! কর্ণপুত্রের বধ এবং নকুলের পরাক্রম দেখে তোমার সেনা ভয়ে ব্যাকুল হয়ে পালিয়ে গেল।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of power rooted in fear and wrongdoing: when confronted by clear evidence of defeat (the death of a key warrior) and authentic heroism (Nakula’s vikrama), collective morale collapses. It implicitly points to the ethical truth that adharma cannot sustain courage for long.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, after Karṇa’s son is slain and Nakula displays formidable prowess, the Kaurava forces panic and flee the battlefield, indicating a turning point in momentum and morale.
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