Shloka 396
Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava
विमुक्तकेशा धावन्त: प्रत्यदृश्यन्त भारत । भारत! पाण्डुपुत्र युधिष्ठिरके बहुत-से सैनिक कवच खोलकर बाल बिखेरे इधर-उधर दौड़ते दिखायी देते थे
vimuktakeśā dhāvantaḥ pratyadṛśyanta bhārata | bhārata! pāṇḍuputra yudhiṣṭhirake bahut-se sainik kavaca kholakar bāla bikhere idhara-udhara dauḍate dikhāyī dete the
Sañjaya said: O Bhārata, they were seen running about with their hair loosened. Indeed, many of Yudhiṣṭhira’s soldiers—casting off their armor and letting their hair fall disheveled—were visible fleeing in different directions, a stark sign of panic and the collapse of order amid the moral and physical shock of battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how quickly discipline and social order can collapse under terror: when fear overwhelms duty, even trained warriors abandon protection and composure. Ethically, it underscores the Mahābhārata’s recurring warning that war tests dharma not only through heroic acts but also through moments of panic, vulnerability, and the unraveling of self-control.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that many soldiers on Yudhiṣṭhira’s side are seen running in different directions with loosened hair and armor removed—visual cues of flight and confusion—indicating a rout or severe disarray in that portion of the battlefield.