Shloka 28
अध्याय २९: कर्णस्य शल्यं प्रति शापस्मरणं च युद्धनिश्चयः | Chapter 29: Karṇa recalls curses to Śalya and declares resolve for battle
चेकितानश्न बलवान् धर्मराजश्न सुब्रत: । एते रथाश्रद्धिरदै: पत्तिभिक्षोग्रविक्रमै:
sañjaya uvāca |
cekitānaś ca balavān dharmarājaś ca suvrataḥ |
ete rathāś ca aśvadhiradāḥ pattibhiś cogra-vikramaiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “The mighty Cekitāna and Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira, steadfast in his vows—along with these chariot-warriors, horsemen, and foot-soldiers of fierce prowess—pressed in upon Karṇa.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the Mahābhārata’s recurring ethic that dharma and disciplined resolve (suvrata) must operate within the harsh realities of kṣatriya warfare: even great warriors face coordinated opposition, and outcomes hinge on collective effort and steadfastness rather than reputation alone.
Sañjaya reports that leading Pāṇḍava-aligned fighters—especially Cekitāna and Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira—together with chariot troops, cavalry, and fierce infantry, converge in battle, intensifying pressure on Karṇa (as elaborated in the immediately surrounding verses).