Shloka 5
Dvārakā’s Distress and the Saubha Engagement (द्वारकाव्यग्रता तथा सौभयुद्धम्)
ततो मामब्रवीद् वीर दारुको विह्वलन्निव । स्थातव्यमिति तिष्ठामि शाल्वबाणप्रपीडित: । अवस्थातुं न शकनोमि अज्ुू मे व्यवसीदति,वीरवर! तब दारुक व्याकुल-सा होकर मुझसे बोला--'प्रभो! युद्धमें डटे रहना चाहिये” इस कर्तव्यका स्मरण करके ही मैं यहाँ ठहरा हुआ हूँ; किंतु शाल्वके बाणोंसे अत्यन्त पीड़ित होनेके कारण मुझमें खड़े रहनेकी भी शक्ति नहीं रह गयी है। मेरा अंग शिथिल होता जा रहा है!
tato mām abravīd vīra dāruko vihvalann iva | sthātavyam iti tiṣṭhāmi śālvabāṇaprapīḍitaḥ | avasthātuṁ na śaknomi aṅgaṁ me vyavasīdati ||
Then Dāruka, the valiant charioteer, as if reeling in confusion, said to me: “O hero, one must stand firm in battle—remembering this duty alone I remain here. Yet, crushed by Śālva’s arrows, I no longer have the strength even to keep standing; my limbs are failing and sinking into weakness.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as steadfastness: even when overwhelmed by pain and fear, one remembers one’s appointed duty (“sthātavyam”) and strives to remain firm, while honestly acknowledging human limits and exhaustion.
Dāruka, shaken and wounded, reports to the speaker that he is trying to hold his ground out of duty, but Śālva’s arrows have weakened him so severely that he can barely remain standing and feels his body failing.