Shloka 1
Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत शल्यपर्वमें संकुलयुद्धाविषयक बाईसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ ॥/ २२ ॥। पम्प बछ। सं: त्रयोविशो<् ध्याय: कौरवपक्षके सात सौ रथियोंका वध
sañjaya uvāca | vartamāne tadā yuddhe ghorarūpe bhayānake | abhajyata balaṃ tatra tava putrasya pāṇḍavaiḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: O König, als jene schreckliche, furchterregende Schlacht im Gange war, zerschmetterten die Pāṇḍava dort die Stärke der Heere deines Sohnes—als rissen sie ihnen den Boden unter den Füßen und die Entschlossenheit im Kampf aus der Wurzel.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how, in a war that has turned terrifying and unrestrained, power and morale can collapse suddenly; it implicitly points to the ethical and karmic weight of choices that lead to such a fearful conflict and its inevitable consequences.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that as the dreadful battle intensifies, the Pandavas gain the upper hand and break the strength of Duryodhana’s (Kaurava) forces, signaling a decisive shift in momentum.