Shloka 12
अस्त्रयुद्धे द्रौणिपार्थसंघर्षः — Karṇa’s Bhārgavāstra and the Search for Yudhiṣṭhira
Chapter 45
तेषां प्रपक्षे शकुनिरुलूकश्च महारथ: । सादिभिर्विमलप्रासैस्तवानीकमरक्षताम्,नरेश्वर! शरद्वानके पुत्र कृपाचार्य, वेगशाली मागध वीर और सात्वतवंशी कृतवर्मा--ये व्यूहके दाहिने पक्षका आश्रय लेकर खड़े थे। महारथी शकुनि और उलूक चमचमाते हुए प्रासोंसे सुशोभित घुड़सवारोंके साथ उनके प्रपक्षमें स्थित हो आपके व्यूहकी रक्षा कर रहे थे
teṣāṁ prapakṣe śakunir ulūkaś ca mahārathaḥ | sādibhir vimalaprāsais tavānīkam arakṣatām, nareśvara | śaradvānake putraḥ kṛpācāryaḥ, vegāśālī māgadha-vīraḥ, sātvata-vaṁśī kṛtavarmā ca—ete vyūhasya dakṣiṇa-pakṣam āśritya tiṣṭhanti | mahārathī śakuniḥ ulūkaś ca camacamāteṣu prāseṣu śobhitaiḥ aśvārūḍhaiḥ saha teṣāṁ prapakṣe sthitvā tava vyūhasya rakṣāṁ kurvanti ||
Sañjaya said: On their forward wing stood the great chariot-warriors Shakuni and Uluka. With horsemen bearing spotless, gleaming lances, they guarded your army, O king.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension of war: victory is pursued through disciplined organization and reliance on famed warriors, yet such strategic excellence can serve either dharma or adharma depending on the cause and intent. It implicitly reminds readers that competence in action is morally incomplete without righteous purpose.
Sanjaya describes to Dhritarashtra how the Kaurava forces are arranged: Kripa, a Magadhan hero, and Kritavarman hold the right flank of the formation, while Shakuni and his son Uluka stand in the forward wing with cavalry carrying shining lances, guarding the battle-array.