Shloka 23
अध्याय २२ — अमर्याद-युद्धवर्णन
Unrestrained Battle Description and Śakuni’s Rear Assault
त्रासयन्तौ दिश: सर्वा ज्याक्षेपकठिनत्वचौ । शकुनिस्तु रणे वीरो युधिष्ठिरमपीडयत्
trāsayantau diśaḥ sarvā jyākṣepakaṭhinatvacau | śakunistu raṇe vīro yudhiṣṭhiram apīḍayat ||
ধনুর্জ্যা টানতে টানতে তাদের হাতের চামড়া কঠিন হয়ে গিয়েছিল, আর তারা সর্বদিককে আতঙ্কিত করছিল। এদিকে বীর শকুনি রণক্ষেত্রে যুধিষ্ঠিরকে পীড়িত করতে লাগল।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the brutal momentum of war: repeated martial action hardens the body and spreads fear, while adversaries deliberately seek to afflict even a dharma-minded king like Yudhishthira. It underscores how battle amplifies suffering and tests steadiness and righteousness under pressure.
Sanjaya describes intense fighting where warriors, hardened by constant bowstring-drawing, terrify all quarters. At the same time, Shakuni engages Yudhishthira directly and begins to harass and oppress him on the battlefield.