Shloka 1
Śalya-parva Adhyāya 34: Balarāma’s Withdrawal, Sarasvatī Pilgrimage Logistics, and Prabhāsa as Soma’s Renewal Tīrtha
भीकम (2 अमान चतुस्त्रिंशो 5 ध्याय: बलरामजीका आगमन और स्वागत तथा भीमसेन और दुर्योधनके युद्धका आरम्भ संजय उवाच तस्मिन् युद्धे महाराज सुसंवृत्ते सुदारुणे । उपविष्टेषु सर्वेषु पाण्डवेषु महात्मसु,संजय कहते हैं--महाराज! वह अत्यन्त भयंकर युद्ध जब आरम्भ होने लगा और समस्त महात्मा पाण्डव उसे देखनेके लिये बैठ गये, उस समय अपने दोनों शिष्योंका संग्राम उपस्थित होनेपर उसका समाचार सुन तालचिह्वित ध्वजवाले हलधारी बलरामजी वहाँ आ पहुँचे
sañjaya uvāca | tasmin yuddhe mahārāja susaṃvṛtte sudāruṇe | upaviṣṭeṣu sarveṣu pāṇḍaveṣu mahātmasu ||
Sañjaya said: O King, when that battle—fully set in motion and exceedingly dreadful—was about to commence, and all the great-souled Pāṇḍavas had taken their seats to witness it, the scene was poised for the fateful contest that would test resolve, discipline, and the limits of dharma amid war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames war as a morally weighty arena: even before weapons clash, the narrative stresses gravity (sudāruṇa) and mindful witnessing by the 'mahātman' Pāṇḍavas, implying that action in conflict must be measured against dharma and responsibility.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the terrible battle is about to begin, and the Pāṇḍavas have seated themselves to observe—setting the stage for the decisive confrontation described in this chapter’s context.