Shloka 5
उपायैः पूर्ववधकथनम् / Strategic Justifications for Prior Eliminations
मन्ये तानस्पृशच्छीतमतिवेलमनार्तवम् । मन्ये ते समवेपन्त गावो वै शिशिरे यथा
manye tān aspṛśacchītam ativelam anārtavam | manye te samavepanta gāvo vai śiśire yathā ||
Sanjaya berkata: “Kupikir mereka disentuh oleh dingin yang melampaui batas—dingin yang datang bukan pada musimnya. Kupikir mereka semua gemetar bersama, seperti sapi-sapi yang menggigil di musim dingin.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear and foreboding can seize even the strong: an ‘untimely cold’ functions as an omen-like image for inner collapse, showing that moral and psychological forces in war can overwhelm physical prowess.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the warriors (implied by context) were suddenly overcome by an unnatural chill and began to tremble together, compared to cows shivering in winter—suggesting panic, dread, or an ominous turn in the battle.