Shloka 5
शल्यपरिघातः (Śalya Under Encirclement) — Mahābhārata, Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 12
फिर तो शंखनाद, सहसौ्रों वाद्योका गम्भीर घोष तथा शूरवीरोंका हर्ष बढ़ानेवाला सिंहनाद सब ओर होने लगा ।। प्रेक्षनत: सर्वतस्तौ हि योधा योधमहाद्विपौ । तावकाश्षापरे चैव साधु साथ्वित्यपूजयन्
tataḥ śaṅkhanādaḥ sahasraśo vādyānāṃ gambhīra-ghoṣaś ca śūrāṇāṃ harṣa-vardhanaḥ siṃhanādaś ca sarvato 'bhavat || prekṣantaḥ sarvatas tau hi yodhā yuddha-mahādvipau | tāv akāśāpare caiva sādhu sādhv ity apūjayan ||
Then, on every side, there arose the blare of conches, the deep roar of countless instruments, and lion-like shouts that heightened the warriors’ exhilaration. Watching from all directions, the fighters acclaimed those two great “war-elephants” in battle, and even those stationed in the open spaces cried out, “Well done! Well done!”, honoring their prowess as the clash intensified.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya battlefield ethos: collective sounds (conches, instruments, lion-roars) amplify courage and morale, and valor is publicly acknowledged. Ethically, it shows how communal praise and martial ritual reinforce duty-driven resolve in war, even as the narrative remains descriptive rather than prescriptive.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield erupting with conch blasts, instruments, and triumphant shouts. Warriors from all sides watch two outstanding champions—likened to great war-elephants—and acclaim them with cries of “sādhu, sādhu,” celebrating their prowess as the combat escalates.