Shloka 1
रणभूमिवर्णनम् — Devāsuropama-yuddha and the ‘River’ Metaphor of the Battlefield
ऑपन--माज बछ। ऊँ ्स:-आ अष्टमो> ध्याय: उभयपक्षकी सेनाओंका समरांगणमें उपस्थित होना एवं बची हुई दोनों सेनाओंकी संख्याका वर्णन संजय उवाच व्यतीतायां रजन्यां तु राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा । अब्रवीत् तावकान् सर्वान् संनहान्तां महारथा:
sañjaya uvāca
vyatītāyāṁ rajanyāṁ tu rājā duryodhanas tadā |
abravīt tāvakān sarvān sannahantāṁ mahārathāḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : Lorsque la nuit fut passée, le roi Duryodhana s’adressa alors à tous tes guerriers en ces termes : «Que les grands combattants de char revêtent leurs cuirasses, prennent leurs armes et se tiennent prêts pour la bataille.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how authority and collective readiness can perpetuate violence: once leaders command and warriors comply, war renews itself day after day, raising ethical questions about responsibility, obedience, and the momentum of conflict.
After the night ends, Duryodhana addresses the Kaurava side and instructs the great chariot-fighters to put on armor and prepare to fight, signaling the armies’ reassembly and the continuation of battle.