Shloka 19
शल्यवधे कौरवसेनाभङ्गः, भीमस्य गदायुद्धं, दुर्योधनस्य समाह्वानम्
Rout after Śalya’s fall; Bhīma’s mace engagement; Duryodhana’s rally
दुर्योधनं महाराज वचन वचनक्षम: । महाराज! तब प्रवचनपटु गान्धारराजपुत्र शकुनिने दुर्योधनसे यह बात कही-- ।। १८ *॥ कि नः सम्प्रेक्षमाणानां मद्राणां हन्यते बलम्
sañjaya uvāca |
duryodhanaṃ mahārāja vacana-vacana-kṣamaḥ |
mahārāja! tadā pravacana-paṭuḥ gāndhāra-rāja-putraḥ śakunir duryodhanam idaṃ vacanam abravīt— ||
kiṃ naḥ samprekṣamāṇānāṃ madrāṇāṃ hanyate balam ||
সঞ্জয় বললেন—মহারাজ! তখন বাক্য-প্রতিবাক্যে দক্ষ, বক্তৃতায় পারদর্শী গন্ধাররাজপুত্র শকুনি দুর্যোধনকে বলল—“আমরা চেয়ে চেয়ে থাকব, আর মদ্রদের শক্তি কি ধ্বংস হয়ে যাবে?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights responsibility in collective action: when allies are being harmed, passive spectatorship becomes a moral failure. Leadership and loyalty demand timely intervention rather than detached watching.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Shakuni, noted for persuasive speech, addresses Duryodhana with a pointed question—why the Madra forces are being destroyed while they merely look on—urging Duryodhana toward action.