Shloka 30
Bhagadattā’s Deployment Against Ghaṭotkaca; Elephant-Corps Escalation
प्रदुद्रुवुस्ततस्ते<न्ये पुत्रास्तव विशाम्पते । मन्यमाना हि तत् सत्यं सभायां तस्य भाषितम्,प्रजानाथ! तब आपके दूसरे पुत्र भीमसेनके द्वारा सभामें की हुई उस प्रतिज्ञाको सत्य मानकर वहाँसे भाग खड़े हुए
pradudruvus tataste 'nye putrās tava viśāmpate | manyamānā hi tat satyaṃ sabhāyāṃ tasya bhāṣitam, prajānātha |
Wahai pelindung rakyat, saat itu putra-putramu yang lain pun lari dari sana, karena menganggap benar ucapan yang telah dikatakan di balairung sidang.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Speech made publicly—especially in an assembly—carries binding weight: it shapes reputation, creates accountability, and can trigger immediate practical consequences. The verse highlights how belief in the certainty of a declared intent (a vow or threat) can drive behavior through fear and the perceived inevitability of retribution.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the other sons of the king fled, convinced that the statement made in the assembly would indeed come true. The focus is on their reaction—panic and retreat—caused by taking the assembly-declaration as a real and imminent danger.