Shloka 34
कर्णार्जुनसमागमः — The Karṇa–Arjuna Confrontation
Cosmic Spectatorship and Vows
पाण्डवैस्तु महाराज धार्तराष्ट्री महाचमू: । पुन: पुनरथो वीरैरभज्जि जितकाशिभि:,महाराज! विजयसे उल्लसित होनेवाले पाण्डवोंने दुर्योधनकी विशाल सेनामें बारंबार भगदड़ मचा दी
pāṇḍavaistu mahārāja dhārtarāṣṭrī mahācamūḥ | punaḥ punaratho vīrair abhajji jitakāśibhiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: O King, the mighty host of the Dhārtarāṣṭras was again and again shattered by the Pāṇḍavas—those heroes whose ardor for victory was aflame—so that repeated rout and confusion spread through Duryodhana’s vast army.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring ethical reality of war: when leadership and purpose falter, even a vast force can repeatedly collapse before disciplined, resolute warriors. It implicitly underscores kṣatriya-dharma—steadfastness, courage, and cohesion—as decisive, and shows how adharma-driven ambition (Duryodhana’s cause) tends toward instability and rout.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Pāṇḍava heroes repeatedly break the Kaurava (Dhārtarāṣṭra) army’s formations, causing repeated panic and disorder in Duryodhana’s large host during the fighting in Karṇa Parva.