Shloka 20
पश्यतां सर्वसैन्यानां पदा चैनमताडयत् | एतत् ते कथितं राजन् यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि,इतना ही नहीं, उसने सारी सेनाओंके देखते-देखते सात्यकिको लात भी मारी। राजन! आप मुझसे जो पूछ रहे थे, उसके उत्तरमें यह प्रसंग सुनाया है
paśyatāṃ sarvasainyānāṃ padā cainam atāḍayat | etat te kathitaṃ rājan yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi ||
Sañjaya said: “While all the armies looked on, he even struck him with his foot. O King, I have thus related to you the very incident about which you questioned me.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, anger and triumph can spill into acts of public humiliation—here, striking with the foot before all troops. Such conduct underscores the ethical erosion that accompanies prolonged conflict and serves as a caution about adharma expressed through contempt and dishonor.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, in full view of all the assembled forces, a warrior struck his opponent with his foot—an act of insult. He then closes the report by saying he has answered exactly what the king had asked.