Shloka 29
शल्यवधे कौरवसेनाभङ्गः, भीमस्य गदायुद्धं, दुर्योधनस्य समाह्वानम्
Rout after Śalya’s fall; Bhīma’s mace engagement; Duryodhana’s rally
निहताः: प्रत्यदृश्यन्त मद्रराजपदानुगा: । प्रजानाथ! वे मद्रराजके अनुगामी वीर रणभूमिमें दो ही घड़ीके भीतर हाथों-हाथ मारे गये दिखायी दिये ।। ततो नः सम्प्रयातानां हता मद्रास्तरस्विन:
sañjaya uvāca | nihatāḥ pratyadṛśyanta madrarāja-padānugāḥ | prajānātha! te madrarājakānugāmī vīrā raṇabhūmau dvi-ghaḍī-bhitaraṃ hātoṃ-hāṭha māritā dṛśyante || tato naḥ samprayātānāṃ hatā madrās tarasvinaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “O lord of the people, the warriors who followed in the footsteps of the king of Madra were seen lying slain. Those brave adherents of the Madra king, on the battlefield, appeared to have been cut down swiftly—within a very short time—struck down in close combat. Thus, as our forces advanced, the impetuous Madras were killed.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the battlefield reality that loyalty to a leader and martial zeal do not guarantee safety; in war, even brave followers can be swiftly destroyed. It implicitly warns about the ethical cost of war and the fragility of human life amid collective violence.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the warriors aligned with the Madra king (Śalya) were seen slain on the battlefield, cut down rapidly as the armies advanced and engaged in close combat.