Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 663
Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)
रुधिरेणावसिक्ताडुं दृष्टवा सैन्यमभज्यत । फिर खूनसे लथपथ हुआ उसका शरीर भी, जिसका सिर काट लिया गया था, रथसे नीचे गिर पड़ा। उसे देखकर आपकी सेनामें भगदड़ मच गयी
rudhireṇāvasiktāṅgaṁ dṛṣṭvā sainyam abhajyata
সঞ্জয় বললেন—রক্তে সিক্ত, শিরচ্ছিন্ন সেই দেহ রথ থেকে নিচে পড়তে দেখে সৈন্যদল ভেঙে পড়ল; তোমাদের সেনায় মহা আতঙ্ক ও বিশৃঙ্খলা ছড়িয়ে পড়ল।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how quickly collective courage can collapse when confronted with the stark reality of slaughter; it implicitly warns that in war, psychological shock and loss of cohesion can be as decisive as weapons, underscoring the grave moral and human cost of violence.
Sañjaya reports that, upon seeing a blood-drenched fallen body, the troops lose formation and scatter—indicating a sudden rout and confusion in the battlefield ranks.
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