Shloka 38
न शेकु: सृज्जया द्रष्टूं तथैवान्ये महीक्षित: । विचरन्तं तथा तं तु संग्रामे जितकाशिनम्
na śekuḥ sṛjjayā draṣṭuṃ tathaivānye mahīkṣitaḥ | vicarantaṃ tathā taṃ tu saṃgrāme jitakāśinam ||
Sañjaya sprach: Im Heer der Sṛñjayas vermochten sie ihn nicht anzusehen; ebenso konnten auch andere Könige den Anblick jenes Kriegers nicht ertragen, wenn er sich in der Schlacht bewegte—eines, der im Kampf selbst den Glanz der anderen besiegt hatte.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how extraordinary power and battlefield success can psychologically dominate opponents; for rulers, the ethical test is maintaining steadiness and duty (kṣatriya-dharma) even when confronted by overwhelming fear and awe.
Sañjaya reports that the Sṛñjayas and other kings could not bear to look at a particular warrior moving about on the battlefield, described as one who had ‘conquered splendor’—i.e., whose presence and victories made him appear irresistibly formidable.