Shloka 16
निहत्य त॑ पार्थिवपुत्रपौत्र रणे यदूनामृषभस्तरस्वी । मुदा समेत: परया महात्मा रराज राजन् सुरराजकल्प:,नरेश्वर! राजाके पुत्र एवं पौत्र सुदर्शनका रणभूमिमें वध करके यदुकुलतिलक देवेन्द्रसदूश पराक्रमी वेगशाली महामनस्वी सात्यकि अत्यन्त प्रसन्न होकर विजयश्रीसे सुशोभित होने लगे
sañjaya uvāca |
nihatya tāṁ pārthiva-putra-pautrā raṇe yadūnām ṛṣabhas tarasvī |
mudā sametaḥ parayā mahātmā rarāja rājan sura-rāja-kalpaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Having slain in battle the king’s sons and grandsons, the mighty Sātyaki—bull among the Yadus—was filled with supreme joy. Great-souled and swift in prowess, he shone on the field, O King, like the lord of the gods. The verse underscores the grim ethic of war: victory and exultation arise only after the costly destruction of royal lineages, revealing both the hero’s martial excellence and the tragedy inherent in righteous conflict.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the paradox of dharmic warfare: a warrior’s glory and joy are portrayed as arising from victory, yet that victory is inseparable from the grave moral and human cost—here, the slaughter of a royal lineage. It invites reflection on kṣatriya-duty, valor, and the tragedy embedded in righteous conflict.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Sātyaki, the foremost of the Yadus, has slain the king’s sons and grandsons on the battlefield. After this feat he becomes exceedingly elated and shines with victorious splendor, compared to Indra in radiance and prowess.