Shloka 12
शल्यवधे कौरवसेनाभङ्गः, भीमस्य गदायुद्धं, दुर्योधनस्य समाह्वानम्
Rout after Śalya’s fall; Bhīma’s mace engagement; Duryodhana’s rally
प्रस्कन्द्य सेनां महतीं महात्मानो महारथा: । बहवश्नुक्रुशुस्तत्र क्व स राजा युधिष्ठिर:
praskandya senāṁ mahatīṁ mahātmāno mahārathāḥ | bahavaś cukruśus tatra kva sa rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
Sañjaya sagte: Nachdem jene großgesinnten, mächtigen Wagenkämpfer in das gewaltige Heer hineingestürmt waren, riefen sie dort immer wieder: „Wo ist jener König, Yudhiṣṭhira?“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in the chaos of war, the conflict often centers on the figure who embodies legitimacy and dharma. The verse highlights how leadership and moral authority (Yudhiṣṭhira as rājā) become strategic and symbolic targets, showing the ethical weight carried by a righteous king in a dharma-yuddha context.
Elite chariot-warriors surge into the large opposing host and loudly call out, asking where King Yudhiṣṭhira is. The scene conveys an active search for the Pāṇḍava leader amid battle, implying an intent to challenge or strike at the command center of the opposing side.