Shloka 19
रणभूमिवर्णनम् — Devāsuropama-yuddha and the ‘River’ Metaphor of the Battlefield
नाथवन्तं तदा55त्मानममन्यन्त सुतास्तव । भारत! उसी आशाको हृदयमें रखकर आपके पुत्रोंको कुछ आश्वासन मिला और वे समरांगणमें महारथी मद्रराज शल्यका आश्रय ले अपने-आपको सनाथ मानने लगे ।।
sañjaya uvāca |
nāthavantaṃ tadātmānam amanyanta sutās tava |
bhārata! yāṃ tadāśāṃ hṛdaye nidhāya te putrāḥ kiñcid āśvāsam avāpuḥ |
samarāṅgaṇe mahārathaṃ madrarājaṃ śalyaṃ śaraṇaṃ gatvā svayam ātmānaṃ sanātham amanyanta ||
yadā karṇa-hate pārthāḥ siṃhanādaṃ pracakrire ||
Sañjaya sprach: Da begannen deine Söhne, sich als geschützt zu wähnen. O Bhārata, diese Hoffnung im Herzen tragend, gewannen sie ein Maß an Zuversicht; und auf dem Schlachtfeld, indem sie bei Śalya, dem König von Madra und großen Wagenkrieger, Zuflucht suchten, hielten sie sich für behütet. Doch als Karṇa fiel, erhoben die Söhne Pāṇḍus ein löwengleiches Brüllen.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how reliance on a powerful protector can restore confidence even amid moral decline, yet such confidence is fragile when grounded in shifting fortunes rather than dharma. The Pāṇḍavas’ lion-roar after Karṇa’s fall marks the ethical and strategic momentum moving toward the side perceived as aligned with rightful purpose.
After Karṇa’s death, the Kauravas seek reassurance by taking Śalya, the Madra king and a great warrior, as their support and commander, considering themselves protected. Simultaneously, the Pāṇḍavas proclaim victory with a lion-like roar, indicating a decisive swing in battlefield morale.