Shloka 6
शकुनिवधः — Sahadeva’s Slaying of Śakuni
with Ulūka’s fall
असौ तिष्ठति पाज्चाल्य: श्रिया परमया युतः । दुर्योधनबलं हत्वा सह सर्व: प्रभद्रकै:
asau tiṣṭhati pāñcālyaḥ śriyā paramayā yutaḥ | duryodhana-balaṃ hatvā saha sarvaiḥ prabhadrakaiḥ ||
Sañjaya dijo: «Allí está el príncipe de Pāñcāla, dotado de un esplendor supremo. Tras destruir las fuerzas de Duryodhana junto con todos los Prabhadrakas, permanece aún conspicuo—no sólo por haber sobrevivido, sino por el visible resplandor de una proeza consumada en las ásperas exigencias de la guerra.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the Mahābhārata’s recurring ethical tension: in war, outward “splendor” (śrī) can accompany violent success, yet it is framed within kṣatriya obligation and the larger moral economy of consequences. It invites reflection on how victory and radiance are narrated without erasing the gravity of destruction.
Sañjaya points out Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the Pāñcāla prince, standing prominently after having routed Duryodhana’s forces along with the Prabhadraka warriors. The line functions as a battlefield report emphasizing his position, success, and striking presence.