Shloka 806
Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)
बल॑ तु हतभूयिष्ठं तत् तदा55सीत् पराड्म्मुखम् । परंतु वहाँ सब ओर धूल छा रही थी, इसलिये शत्रुओंको इस बातका पता न चला। अधिकांश योद्धाओंके मारे जानेसे उस समय वह सारी सेना युद्धसे विमुख हो गयी थी
balaṃ tu hatabhūyiṣṭhaṃ tat tadā parāṅmukham āsīt |
Sanjaya berkata: Pada saat itu, pasukan itu—yang sebagian besar kekuatannya telah dihancurkan—berpaling dari pertempuran. Namun debu mengepul ke segala arah, sehingga musuh tidak dapat melihat dengan jelas apa yang terjadi. Karena kebanyakan prajurit telah gugur, seluruh bala itu menjadi patah semangat dan menarik diri dari perang.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how the ethical and practical consequences of widespread killing manifest immediately as collapse of morale and withdrawal; it also shows how in war, perception is unreliable—dust and confusion can conceal realities, delaying recognition of victory or defeat.
Sañjaya reports that one side’s army, having lost most of its fighters, becomes parāṅmukha—turns away from combat and begins to withdraw. A thick cloud of dust obscures the scene, so the opposing forces do not at once realize the extent of the rout.