Shloka 9
गान्धारराज: शकुनिस्त्रस्तस्त्रस्ततरैः सह । हतं रुक्मरथं श्रुत्वा प्राद्रवत् सहितो रथै:
gāndhārarājaḥ śakunistrastastrastataraiḥ saha | hataṃ rukmarathaṃ śrutvā prādravat sahito rathaiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Hearing that Rukmaratha had been slain, Śakuni, the king of Gandhāra—already shaken with fear—fled in haste along with others who were even more terrified, and with their chariots. The verse underscores how, in war, the fall of a notable warrior can swiftly unravel morale and drive even leaders into panic, revealing the ethical cost of violence: fear spreads faster than courage when confidence collapses.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring ethical insight of the Mahābhārata: violence destabilizes minds and communities. When a prominent fighter falls, fear can cascade through an army, exposing how fragile confidence is and how leadership is tested by panic rather than prowess.
Sañjaya reports that Śakuni, identified as the king of Gandhāra, hears that the warrior Rukmaratha has been killed. Overcome by fear, Śakuni runs off, accompanied by others who are even more frightened, along with their chariots.