Shloka 33
Adhyāya 143: Nocturnal duels—Nākuli and Citraseṇa; Vṛṣasena’s assault; Duḥśāsana vs Prativindhya
अपीदानीं भवेदस्य क्षेममस्मिन् समागमे । कच्चिन्न सागर तीर्त्वा सात्यकि: सत्यविक्रम:
apīdānīṃ bhaved asya kṣemam asmin samāgame | kaccin na sāgaraṃ tīrtvā sātyakiḥ satyavikramaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “Might there yet be safety for him in this encounter? Has Sātyaki—whose valor is true and proven—surely not perished after crossing that sea-like peril?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the human dimension within epic warfare: even amid a dharma-conflict, there is anxious concern for a righteous ally’s survival. True valor (satya-vikrama) is honored, yet it does not remove vulnerability; hope and ethical regard for life persist even in battle.
Sañjaya, reporting events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, expresses worried uncertainty about Sātyaki’s fate. He wonders whether Sātyaki can still be safe in the present clash and whether he has survived after passing through a peril likened to crossing an ocean.