Shloka 13
त्रीणि सादिसहस््राणि दुर्योधनपुरोगमा: । शककाम्बोजबाह्लीका यवना: पारदास्तथा,अभ्यद्रवन्त शैनेयं शलभा: पावकं यथा । तीन हजार घुड़सवार और हाथीसवार दुर्योधनको अपना अगुआ बनाकर चले। उनके साथ शक, काम्बोज, बाह्लीक, यवन, पारद, कुलिन्द, तंगण, अम्बष्ठ, पैशाच, बर्बर तथा पर्वतीय योद्धा भी थे। राजेन्द्र! वे सब-के-सब कुपित हो हाथोंमें पत्थर लिये सात्यकिकी ओर उसी प्रकार दौड़े, जैसे फतिंगे जलती हुई आगपर टूट पड़ते हैं
trīṇi sādisahasrāṇi duryodhanapurogamāḥ | śakakāmbojabāhlīkā yavanāḥ pāradās tathā, abhyadravanta śaineyaṃ śalabhāḥ pāvakaṃ yathā |
Sañjaya said: Led by Duryodhana, three thousand warriors—together with the Śakas, Kāmbojas, Bāhlīkas, Yavanas, and Pāradas—rushed upon Śaineya (Sātyaki). In their wrath they surged forward like moths plunging into a blazing fire, driven by blind fury rather than discerning what is right or prudent in battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger and group-impulse can drive warriors into self-destructive action: like moths drawn to flame, they rush toward danger without discernment. It implicitly contrasts dharmic prudence and self-control with reckless fury in war.
Sañjaya reports that a force of three thousand, led by Duryodhana and including several frontier peoples (Śakas, Kāmbojas, Bāhlīkas, Yavanas, Pāradas), charges at Śaineya (Sātyaki), surging upon him with the heedless intensity of moths flying into fire.