Shloka 44
धृतराष्ट्र-संजय-संवादः — दुर्योधनस्य ह्रदप्रवेशः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue: Duryodhana’s Entry into the Lake
दुद्रुवुस्तावका: सर्वे भये जाते ससौबला: । उस शक्तिको नष्ट हुई देख और सुबलपुत्र शकुनिको भी भयसे पीड़ित जान आपके सभी सैनिक भयभीत हो शकुनिसहित वहाँसे भाग खड़े हुए || ४३ $ || अथोक्क्रुष्टं महच्चासीत् पाण्डवैर्जितकाशिभि:
dudruvus tāvakāḥ sarve bhaye jāte sa-saubalāḥ | uś-śaktiko naṣṭa huī dekha aura subalaputra śakuniko bhī bhayase pīḍita jāna āpake sabhī sainik bhayabhīta ho śakuni-sahita vahāṁse bhāga khaḍe hue || 43 || athokkr̥ṣṭaṁ mahac cāsīt pāṇḍavair jita-kāśibhiḥ || 44 ||
Sañjaya said: When fear arose, all your troops—together with the Saubalas—broke and fled. Seeing that Śakti had been slain, and knowing Śakuni, the son of Subala, to be stricken with fear as well, your soldiers, panic‑ridden, ran from that place with Śakuni. Then a great battle‑cry arose from the Pāṇḍavas, who had overcome the Kāśis.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear rapidly dissolves cohesion in an army: when key figures fall and confidence collapses, even large forces scatter. Ethically, it underscores the responsibility of leaders and strategists—panic and self-preservation can override duty (kṣatriya-dharma) when morale is broken.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava troops, along with Śakuni’s faction (Saubalas), flee after Śakti is slain and Śakuni is seen to be fearful. Immediately afterward, the Pāṇḍavas raise a great victorious shout, having subdued the Kāśi contingent.