Shloka 38
शल्यस्य पाण्डवसेनापीडनम् — Śalya’s Assault on the Pāṇḍava Host
with Omens and Bhīma’s Counter
स रथे5तिरथस्तिष्ठन् रथशक्ति परामृशत्
sa rathe 'tirathas tiṣṭhan rathaśaktiṃ parāmṛśat
Sañjaya berkata: Berdiri teguh di atas keretanya laksana seorang atiratha, ia menggenggam tombak-kereta (ratha-śakti), siap melancarkan hantaman penentu.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of preparedness and resolve: in the chaos of war, a warrior must remain steady, choose the appropriate weapon, and act decisively—discipline and readiness being central to martial dharma.
Sanjaya narrates that a leading warrior, standing on his chariot, takes up a rathaśakti (a chariot-spear/javelin), signaling an imminent attack or a critical turn in the ongoing combat.