Shloka 22
आत्मदोष-उपदेशः तथा भीम-धृष्टद्युम्नयोः संयोगः
Self-Causation Counsel and the Bhīma–Dhṛṣṭadyumna Convergence
अश्वानां कुज्जराणां च रथानां चानिवर्तिनाम् | संघाता: सम प्रदृश्यन्ते तत्र तत्र विशाम्पते
aśvānāṃ kuñjarāṇāṃ ca rathānāṃ cānivartinām | saṃghātāḥ sama-pradṛśyante tatra tatra viśāṃpate prajānātha ||
Sañjaya dit : Ô seigneur du peuple, ô maître des hommes—sur ce champ de bataille, çà et là, on voyait nettement d’épaisses masses de chevaux, d’éléphants et de chars qui ne se détournaient pas du combat, rassemblés en formations redoutables.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness in battle—forces described as anivartin (unretreating). Ethically, it frames the war as a domain where resolve and duty-driven courage are publicly visible, while also hinting at the immense, impersonal machinery of conflict.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra what he ‘sees’ on the battlefield: compact groups of horses, elephants, and chariots positioned in many places, presenting a vivid picture of the armies’ massed readiness and the intensity of the engagement.