Shloka 31
Book 9 (Śalya-parva), Adhyāya 13 — Arjuna’s Arrow-storm and the Drauṇi Confrontation
समरांगणमें मद्रराज शल्यके द्वारा इस प्रकार रोके जाते हुए शत्रुसूदन पाण्डव-महारथी उनके सामने ठहर न सके ।। ततो दुर्योधनो राजा दृष्टवा शल्यस्य विक्रमम् । निहतान् पाण्डवान् मेने पड्चालानथ सृञ्जयान्,उस समय राजा दुर्योधन शल्यका वह पराक्रम देखकर ऐसा समझने लगा कि अब पाण्डव, पांचाल और सूंजय अवश्य मार डाले जायँगे
tato duryodhano rājā dṛṣṭvā śalyasya vikramam | nihatān pāṇḍavān mene pāñcālān atha sṛñjayān ||
Sañjaya dit : Ainsi, lorsque les grands guerriers Pāṇḍava—tueurs d’ennemis—furent ainsi contenus sur le champ de bataille par Śalya, roi de Madra, ils ne purent tenir devant lui. Alors le roi Duryodhana, voyant la prouesse de Śalya, se persuada que les Pāṇḍava, ainsi que les Pāñcāla et les Sṛñjaya, avaient été abattus.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse illustrates how attachment to victory and the intoxication of power can distort perception: Duryodhana, impressed by Śalya’s battlefield prowess, hastily assumes the enemy alliance is already destroyed. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, such premature certainty is a form of moha (delusion) that often precedes downfall.
During the fighting in Śalya-parvan, Duryodhana observes Śalya’s effectiveness in battle and, encouraged by what he sees, concludes that the Pāṇḍavas and their allies—the Pāñcālas and Sṛñjayas—have been slain.