Shloka 31
भीष्मशिबिरगमनम् — Duryodhana’s Visit to Bhīṣma’s Camp and the Command Appeal
अब्रवीत् समरे योधान् विचित्रान् दारुणायुधान् । यथैते धार्तराष्ट्रस्य योधा: सानुगवाहना:
abravīt samare yodhān vicitrān dāruṇāyudhān | yathaite dhārtarāṣṭrasya yodhāḥ sānugavāhanāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: In the midst of battle he addressed the warriors—varied in kind and bearing dreadful weapons—just as these fighters of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s side stood there, accompanied by their followers and mounts.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the formidable, well-supported nature of the Kaurava forces—warriors equipped with dreadful weapons and backed by attendants and conveyances—reminding the listener that war is not merely individual heroism but an organized, consequential enterprise with heavy moral and social weight.
Sañjaya reports that, in the thick of battle, a leader addresses the assembled warriors. The Kaurava fighters are depicted as diverse and fearsome, standing with their followers and mounts/vehicles, indicating a prepared and structured battle formation.