Shloka 52
जयद्रथवधः — The Slaying of Jayadratha
Sunset Vow and Curse-Condition
काम्बोजसैन्यं विद्राव्य दुर्जयं युधि भारत
kāmbojasainyaṁ vidrāvya durjayaṁ yudhi bhārata
Sañjaya dit : Ayant mis en déroute les troupes des Kāmbojas—redoutables et difficiles à vaincre au combat—(il s’avança plus avant), ô Bhārata.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a wartime ethic where success is not merely defeating bodies but breaking the enemy’s capacity to continue—routing a formidable force. It reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension: martial duty and effectiveness on the battlefield coexist with the larger moral weight of violence.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kāmboja contingent—described as difficult to conquer—has been put to flight in battle, indicating a decisive tactical advantage gained at that moment.