Shloka 14
Adhyāya 74 (Book 6, Bhīṣma-parva): Bhīma–Duryodhana re-engagement and afternoon escalation
मद्रसौवीरगान्धारैस्त्रैगर्तै क्ष विशाम्पते । सर्वकालिज्रमुख्यैश्व कलिड्राधिपतिर्वृत:,प्रजानाथ! समस्त कलिंगदेशीय प्रमुख वीरोंसे घिरे हुए कलिंगराज भी युद्धके लिये आगे बढ़े। उनके साथ मद्र, सौवीर, गान्धार और त्रिगर्तदेशीय योद्धा भी मौजूद थे
madra-sauvīra-gāndhāraistrai-gartaiś ca viśāṃ pate | sarva-kāliṅgra-mukhyaiś ca kaliṅgādhipatir vṛtaḥ prajānātha |
Wahai penguasa manusia, raja Kaliṅga pun maju ke pertempuran, dikelilingi para kesatria terkemuka dari seluruh negeri Kaliṅga; bersamanya hadir pula para pejuang dari Madra, Sauvīra, Gāndhāra, dan Trigarta.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the collective nature of war: entire peoples and allied kingdoms move as units under their rulers. Ethically, it points to how political allegiance and kṣatriya expectations can propel participation in violence, raising the tension between duty to one’s side and broader moral discernment.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the king of Kaliṅga advances to fight, surrounded by leading Kaliṅga warriors, and accompanied by fighters from Madra, Sauvīra, Gāndhāra, and Trigarta—signaling the mustering of allied forces on the battlefield.