Shloka 6
धृतराष्ट्रस्य मूर्च्छा स्त्रीणां च आर्तनादः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Collapse and the Lament of the Palace Women
तथा तु स्तिमितं दृष्टवा गतसत्त्वमवस्थितम् | बल॑ तव महाराज राजा दुर्योधनो<ब्रवीत्,नरेश्वर! इस प्रकार आपकी सेनाको प्राणहीन-सी निश्चल खड़ी देख राजा दुर्योधनने कहा--
tathā tu stimitam dṛṣṭvā gatasattvam avasthitam | balaṁ tava mahārāja rājā duryodhano 'bravīt naraśvara ||
Sañjaya said: Then, seeing your army standing motionless, as though its spirit had ebbed away, King Duryodhana spoke—O great king, O lord of men. The scene conveys a moral tension: when resolve collapses in the face of fear and uncertainty, leadership is tested to restore courage and purpose amid the demands of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical pressure of leadership in wartime: when a collective loses heart, a ruler’s duty is to respond with clarity and resolve. It implicitly contrasts mere power with the responsibility to sustain courage and right purpose (dharma) amid fear.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava army appears unnaturally still, as if drained of spirit. Observing this, Duryodhana begins to address the situation, preparing to speak to restore order and morale.