Shloka 10
Kṛtavarmā–Sātyaki Chariot Duel and Kaurava Morale Shock (कृतवर्म-सात्यकि-द्वैरथम्)
दृष्टवा च तां वेगवतीं प्रभग्नां सर्वे त्वदीया युधि योधमुख्या: । अपूजयंस्ते तु नराधिपं त॑ दध्मुश्न शड्खान् शशिसंनिकाशान्
sañjaya uvāca |
dṛṣṭvā ca tāṁ vegavatīṁ prabhagnāṁ sarve tvadīyā yudhi yodhamukhyāḥ |
apūjayaṁs te tu narādhipaṁ taṁ dadhmuś ca śaṅkhān śaśisaṁnikāśān ||
Sañjaya sprach: Als sie jene schnelle Streitmacht zerschlagen und auf der Flucht sahen, erwiesen alle deine führenden Krieger im Kampf jenem König Ehre und bliesen ihre Muschelhörner, hell wie der Mond.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how quickly collective sentiment in war follows visible success: when an opposing force breaks, leaders are publicly honored and victory-signals are sounded, reinforcing group cohesion and escalating the conflict. It implicitly cautions that acclaim and noise can amplify aggression as much as they celebrate courage.
Sañjaya reports that a fast-moving force has been broken and is fleeing; seeing this, the chief warriors on Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s side praise the king leading them and blow bright, moon-like conches as a triumphant battlefield signal.