Shloka 38
न शेकु: सृज्जया द्रष्टूं तथैवान्ये महीक्षित: । विचरन्तं तथा तं तु संग्रामे जितकाशिनम्
na śekuḥ sṛjjayā draṣṭuṃ tathaivānye mahīkṣitaḥ | vicarantaṃ tathā taṃ tu saṃgrāme jitakāśinam ||
Pasukan Sṛñjaya tak sanggup memandangnya; demikian pula raja-raja lainnya—ketika ia bergerak di medan perang, ia seakan menaklukkan cahaya (kewibawaan) para lawan, sehingga mereka tak kuasa menatapnya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how extraordinary power and battlefield success can psychologically dominate opponents; for rulers, the ethical test is maintaining steadiness and duty (kṣatriya-dharma) even when confronted by overwhelming fear and awe.
Sañjaya reports that the Sṛñjayas and other kings could not bear to look at a particular warrior moving about on the battlefield, described as one who had ‘conquered splendor’—i.e., whose presence and victories made him appear irresistibly formidable.