Shloka 4
Karṇa’s advance against the Pāṇḍava host; Arjuna’s clash with the Saṃśaptakas (कर्णस्य पाण्डवसेनाप्रवेशः—अर्जुनस्य संशप्तकसंप्रहारः)
बभूव प्रथमो राजन् संग्रामस्तारकामय: । राजन! देवताओं और असुरोंमें परस्पर विजय पानेकी इच्छासे सर्वप्रथम तारकामय संग्राम हुआ था ।।
duryodhana uvāca | babhūva prathamo rājan saṅgrāmas tārakāmayaḥ | nirjitāśva tadā daityā daivatair iti naḥ śrutam | nibodha manasā cātra na te kāryā vicāraṇā |
Duryodhana berkata: “Wahai Raja, peperangan besar yang pertama adalah perang Tārakāmaya, yang terjadi karena para dewa dan para asura sama-sama mendambakan kemenangan atas satu sama lain. Kami mendengar bahwa dalam pertempuran itu kaum Daitya dikalahkan oleh para dewa. Maka dengarkanlah dengan pikiran yang teguh; tak perlu ragu atau berpanjang pertimbangan tentangnya.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Duryodhana invokes ancient precedent to steady the listener’s mind and discourage hesitation: in war and politics, narratives of earlier victories and defeats are used to shape resolve and suppress doubt.
Addressing the Madra king (Śalya), Duryodhana begins recounting an old devasura conflict called the Tārakāmaya war, emphasizing that the Daityas were defeated by the gods, and urges Śalya to listen without second-guessing.