Shloka 206
Adhyāya 74 (Book 6, Bhīṣma-parva): Bhīma–Duryodhana re-engagement and afternoon escalation
सहपुत्र: सहामात्य: शल्येन समसज्जत | फिर, अवन्तीनरेश काशिराजके साथ, सिन्धुराज जयद्रथ भीमसेनके साथ तथा पुत्रों और मन्त्रियोंसहित अजातशत्रु राजा युधिष्ठिर यशस्वी मद्रराज शल्यके साथ युद्ध करने लगे
sahaputraḥ sahāmātyaḥ śalyena samasajjata | avantīnareśaḥ kāśirājaś ca sindhurājo jayadrathaḥ bhīmasenena saha, tathā putraiḥ mantribhiś ca saha ajātaśatruḥ rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ yaśasvī madrarājaḥ śalyena saha yuddham akarot |
Sañjaya said: With his sons and ministers beside him, Yudhiṣṭhira (Ajātaśatru) engaged in battle with the renowned Madra king Śalya. At the same time, the king of Avanti and the king of Kāśī, and the Sindhu king Jayadratha, confronted Bhīmasena. The scene underscores how the war draws entire royal houses—kings, heirs, and counsellors—into direct combat, binding political duty and personal loyalty to the harsh demands of the battlefield.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of kṣatriya responsibility: rulers do not fight alone but draw sons and ministers into the consequences of political decisions, showing how dharma and loyalty become entangled with violence in wartime.
Sañjaya reports simultaneous engagements: Yudhiṣṭhira, supported by his sons and ministers, fights Śalya, while Bhīma faces Jayadratha along with the kings of Avanti and Kāśī.