Shloka 30
धृतराष्ट्र-संजय-संवादः — सात्यकि-अलम्बुसयोर्युद्धवर्णनम्
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue; Account of Sātyaki vs Alambusa
तवाचार्यों रणं हित्वा गत: कापुरुषो यथा,यदि मां त्वं रणे हित्वा न यास्याचार्यवद् द्रुतम् “माधव! तुम्हारे आचार्य अर्जुन तो कायरके समान युद्धका मैदान छोड़कर चले गये हैं। मैं युद्ध कर रहा था तो भी मुझे छोड़कर मेरी परिक्रमा करते हुए चल दिये। तुम भी अपने आचार्यके समान तुरंत ही समरांगणमें मुझे छोड़कर चले नहीं जाओगे तो युद्धमें तत्पर रहते हुए मेरे हाथसे आज जीवित बचकर नहीं जा सकोगे'
sañjaya uvāca | tavācāryo raṇaṃ hitvā gataḥ kāpuruṣo yathā, yadi māṃ tvaṃ raṇe hitvā na yāsy ācāryavad drutam |
Sañjaya said: “Your teacher has abandoned the battle and gone away like a coward. If you too, leaving me in the fight, do not quickly depart like your teacher, then you will not escape alive today from my hands while I remain intent on battle.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how battlefield rhetoric weaponizes moral language—especially accusations of cowardice—to pressure an opponent into standing and fighting, reflecting the intense honor-code expectations of kṣatriya warfare.
Sañjaya reports a warrior’s taunt: Arjuna’s teacher (Droṇa) is accused of abandoning the fight, and the opponent threatens that if Arjuna does not also flee quickly, he will be killed—framing the moment as a test of courage and resolve.