Shloka 5
अध्याय ८० — मध्यंदिन-रणवृत्तान्तः
Yudhiṣṭhira–Śrutāyu encounter; Cekitāna–Gautama clash; Abhimanyu pressure; Arjuna’s redeployment
तस्माद् राजन् स्थिरो भूत्वा प्राप्येदं व्यसनं महत् | शृणु युद्ध यथावृत्तं शंसतो मे नराधिप
tasmād rājan sthiro bhūtvā prāpyedaṁ vyasanaṁ mahat | śṛṇu yuddha yathāvṛttaṁ śaṁsato me narādhipa ||
Darum, o König, fasse dich und werde standhaft — auch wenn dich dieses große Unheil getroffen hat — und höre, Herr der Menschen, wie ich dir berichte, wie sich die Schlacht wahrhaft zugetragen hat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid overwhelming loss, a ruler should cultivate steadiness of mind and face reality as it is. Sañjaya frames the coming account as truthful narration (yathāvṛttam), implying that ethical discernment begins with hearing events clearly rather than being swept away by grief.
Sañjaya addresses Dhṛtarāṣṭra, urging him to remain composed despite the great calamity, and invites him to listen as Sañjaya recounts the battle exactly as it occurred.