Shloka 43
त्रिपुरदाह-इतिहासः
Tripura-destruction exemplum and counsel to Śalya
यथा दैत्यचमूं राजन् देवराजो ममर्द ह । तथैव पाण्डवीं सेनां सौबलेयो व्यनाशयत्,राजन! जिस प्रकार देवराज इन्द्रने दैत्योंकी सेनाको कुचल दिया था, उसी प्रकार सुबलपुत्र शकुनिने पाण्डव-सेनाका विनाश कर डाला
sañjaya uvāca | yathā daityacamūṃ rājan devarājo mamarda ha | tathaiva pāṇḍavīṃ senāṃ saubaleyo vyanāśayat ||
Sañjaya dit : «Ô Roi, de même qu’Indra, seigneur des dieux, écrasa jadis l’armée des Dānavas, ainsi Śakuni, fils de Subala, précipita l’armée des Pāṇḍavas dans la ruine.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how epic narration uses mythic parallels to interpret human events: battlefield success is portrayed as overwhelming force akin to divine victory, reminding the listener that war’s triumphs are inseparable from large-scale ruin and moral gravity.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Śakuni (Saubaleya) devastated the Pāṇḍava forces, comparing his impact to Indra’s legendary crushing of the Daityas.