Shloka 78
युधिष्ठिरस्य धनंजय-प्रति गर्हा
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Reproach to Dhanaṃjaya
रथिनो रथिश्रि: सार्ध चित्र युयुधुराहवे
rathino rathiśriḥ sārdha citra yuyudhur āhave
Sañjaya said: The chariot-warriors, together with the illustrious chariot-fighter, engaged in a fierce and variegated combat on the battlefield—an image of war’s collective momentum, where prowess and alliance drive men into peril despite the moral weight of slaughter.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how war gathers individuals into collective violence: renowned leaders and ordinary chariot-fighters alike are swept into combat. It invites reflection on kṣatriya valor and alliance, while implicitly highlighting the ethical gravity of battle where glory and destruction coexist.
Sañjaya reports that the chariot-warriors, along with a particularly eminent chariot-fighter, fought together in the battle. The phrasing emphasizes the intensity and ‘variegated’ nature of the clash—many fighters and many forms of engagement occurring at once.