Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava
ते चेदिपाउ्चालकरूषमत्स्या: पार्थाश्च सर्वे सहिता: प्रणेदु: । जयप्रगल्भा: पुरुषप्रवीरा: संत्रासयन्त: कुरुवीरयोधान्
te cedipāñcālakaruṣamatsyāḥ pārthāś ca sarve sahitāḥ praṇeduḥ | jayapragalbhāḥ puruṣapravīrāḥ saṃtrāsayantaḥ kuruvīrayodhān ||
Sañjaya said: Then the Cedis, the Pāñcālas, the Karūṣas, and the Matsyas—and all the sons of Pṛthā together—raised a mighty roar. Bold in the certainty of victory, those foremost of men struck fear into the heroic warriors of the Kuru host, proclaiming by their united cry both resolve and the moral weight of their cause as the battle’s momentum gathered.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the ethical and strategic power of unity: when righteous allies act in concert with courage and clarity of purpose, their collective resolve becomes a force that can unsettle even formidable opponents. It also shows how morale and confidence function as decisive elements in a dharma-yuddha setting.
Sañjaya describes the allied forces on the Pāṇḍava side—Cedis, Pāñcālas, Karūṣas, Matsyas, and the Pāṇḍavas—raising a loud, united battle-cry. Their confident roar intimidates the Kuru warriors, signaling the surge of combat readiness and the psychological pressure exerted at the outset of engagement.