Shloka 1
अफ्-४#-छकाल जा दव्यशीतितमो<ध्याय: श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुनसे डरकर कौरवसेनामें भगदड़, द्रोणाचार्य और विराटका युद्ध, विराटपुत्र शंखका वध, शिखण्डी और अभश्चवत्थामाका युद्ध, सात्यकिके द्वारा अलम्बुषकी पराजय, धृष्टय्युम्नके द्वारा दुर्योधनकी हार तथा भीमसेन और कृतवर्माका युद्ध संजय उवाच तथा प्रवृत्ते संग्रामे निवृत्ते च सुशर्मणि । भग्नेषु चापि वीरेषु पाण्डवेन महात्मना,संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! इस प्रकार संग्राम आरम्भ होनेपर महामना पाण्डुनन्दन अर्जुनसे पराजित हो सुशर्मा युद्धभूमिसे दूर हो गया और अन्यान्य वीर भी भाग खड़े हुए
sañjaya uvāca | tathā pravṛtte saṅgrāme nivṛtte ca suśarmaṇi | bhagneṣu cāpi vīreṣu pāṇḍavena mahātmanā ||
Sañjaya said: “O King, when the battle had thus begun, Suśarman—checked and turned back—fell away from the fight; and even other warriors, though brave, broke and fled when confronted by the great-souled Pāṇḍava.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring ethical tension in war: valor is tested not by claims but by steadfastness under pressure. When confronted by a truly formidable and disciplined warrior, many who are called ‘heroes’ may still break—implying that kṣatriya-dharma demands inner steadiness as much as martial skill.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that as the battle begins in earnest, Suśarman is forced to withdraw, and other Kaurava-side warriors also become routed and flee due to the onslaught of the great-souled Pāṇḍava—understood here as Arjuna.