Shloka 31
भीमसेन-दुर्योधन-समागमः
Bhīmasena–Duryodhana Engagement at Sunset
इत्यासीत् तुमुल: शब्दो युयुधानरथं प्रति । महात्मा पाण्डवोंके दलमें हाहाकार होने लगा। अरे! दौड़ो, पकड़ो, घोड़ोंको रोको, भागो। सात्यकिके रथकी ओर इस तरहका शब्द गूँजने लगा ।।
ity āsīt tumulaḥ śabdo yuyudhāna-rathaṃ prati | mahātmā pāṇḍavānāṃ dale hāhākāro 'bhavat | are dhāvata gṛhṇīta aśvān rodayata mā palāyata | sātyaki-rathaṃ prati evaṃvidhaḥ śabdaḥ samantād anunāditaḥ || etasminn eva kāle tu bhīṣmaḥ śāntanavas tadā ||
Sañjaya said: “Thus there arose a tumultuous cry directed toward Yuyudhāna’s chariot. In the Pāṇḍava ranks a great outcry spread—‘Hey! Run! Seize him! Stop the horses! Don’t flee!’ In this manner the sound resounded all around toward Sātyaki’s chariot. Just at that very moment, Bhīṣma, the son of Śāntanu, (also acted/appeared)…”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical pressure of war: when panic spreads, disciplined action—restraining flight, protecting comrades, and restoring order—becomes a form of kṣatriya-dharma. It shows how collective morale and responsibility matter as much as individual valor.
Sañjaya describes a sudden uproar in the Pāṇḍava ranks focused on Yuyudhāna/Sātyaki’s chariot. Soldiers shout urgent commands to chase, seize, and stop the horses, warning against retreat. The scene then transitions to Bhīṣma’s movement/entry at that same moment.