Shloka 43
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
उत्तरं वै हतं दृष्टवा वैराटिग्भरातरं तदा । कृतवर्मणा च सहित दृष्टवा शल्यमवस्थितम्
uttaraṃ vai hataṃ dṛṣṭvā vairāṭi-bhrātaraṃ tadā | kṛtavarmaṇā ca sahitaṃ dṛṣṭvā śalyam avasthitam ||
Sañjaya dit : Alors, voyant Uttara tué—le frère de la princesse de Virāṭa—et voyant Śalya demeurer ferme, accompagné de Kṛtavarman, (les guerriers réagirent en conséquence). Le vers souligne l’élan funeste du combat : la chute d’un jeune prince et la présence inébranlable de combattants aguerris accroissent à la fois la douleur et la résolution qui poussent la guerre en avant.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical gravity of war: even noble lineages and youthful princes fall, while veteran warriors remain steadfast. It implicitly points to the Mahābhārata’s recurring reflection that victory and loss in battle carry profound human cost, testing resolve and dharma.
Sañjaya reports that Uttara, the brother of the Virāṭa princess (Uttarā), has been killed. At the same time, he notes Śalya standing in position, accompanied by Kṛtavarman—marking a shift in the battlefield situation as key figures are seen and assessed.