Shloka 20
रणभूमिवर्णनम् — Devāsuropama-yuddha and the ‘River’ Metaphor of the Battlefield
तान् समाश्चास्य योधांस्तु मद्रराज: प्रतापवान्
sañjaya uvāca | tān samāśvāsya yodhāṁs tu madrarājaḥ pratāpavān mahārāja | tataḥ pratāpī mahārathī madrarājaḥ śalyaḥ samṛddhiśālinaṁ sarvatobhadra-nāmakaṁ vyūhaṁ kṛtvā bhāranāśakaḥ atyanta-vegāś ca vicitra-dhanuḥ kampayan sindhī-aśva-yukta-śreṣṭha-rathaṁ samāruhya pāṇḍavān abhyadravat ||
Sañjaya dit : Ô roi, le vaillant souverain de Madra rassura d’abord ces guerriers. Puis Śalya, grand guerrier de char et seigneur de Madra, forma la prospère disposition de bataille appelée « Sarvatobhadra ». Monté sur un char d’élite attelé de chevaux sindhī, faisant vibrer son arc merveilleux et s’élançant avec une force écrasante et une vitesse extrême, il chargea pour attaquer les Pāṇḍava.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya leadership in war: a commander steadies his troops, arranges a protective formation, and advances decisively. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension—valor and tactical excellence can be displayed even in a conflict whose larger moral weight remains tragic.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Śalya, king of Madra, encourages his warriors, forms the Sarvatobhadra battle-array, mounts a fine chariot drawn by Sindhī horses, and charges to attack the Pāṇḍavas.