Shloka 38
Vṛddha-kanyā-carita and Balarāma’s Kurukṣetra Inquiry (वृद्धकन्या-चरितम् / कुरुक्षेत्रफल-प्रश्नः)
दिग्भ्यस्तान् प्रद्रुतान् दृष्टवा मुनि: सारस्वतस्तदा
digbhyas tān pradrutān dṛṣṭvā muniḥ sārasvatas tadā
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Lalu, melihat mereka lari tercerai-berai ke segala penjuru, pada saat itu resi Sārasvata menyaksikan kekacauan itu.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral-psychological truth of warfare: when discipline and dharma-based resolve break, fear spreads and people scatter in every direction. It implicitly contrasts steadiness and duty with panic-driven flight.
The narrator reports that the sage Sārasvata observes people/warriors fleeing on all sides, indicating a moment of battlefield disorder or rout that sets up the next action or counsel in the episode.