Shloka 24
आपूर्यमाणेनास्त्रेण सैन्ये क्षीयति च प्रभो । जगाम परम॑ त्रासं धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिर:,राजन्! जब वह अस्त्र सब ओर व्याप्त हो गया और उसके द्वारा पाण्डव-सेना क्षीण होने लगी, तब धर्मपुत्र युधिष्ठिरको बड़ा भय हुआ
sañjaya uvāca | āpūryamāṇenāstreṇa sainye kṣīyati ca prabho | jagāma paramaṁ trāsaṁ dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “O lord, as that weapon spread everywhere and the army was being worn down by it, Dharma’s son Yudhiṣṭhira was seized by extreme fear.” The verse highlights how even the most dharma-minded leader can be shaken when indiscriminate force begins to consume one’s own side, testing steadiness, judgment, and responsibility in war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical burden of leadership in war: when destructive force becomes pervasive and begins to annihilate one’s own ranks, even a righteous leader like Yudhiṣṭhira experiences intense fear—signaling the need for discernment, restraint, and responsibility regarding the use of overwhelming weapons.
Sañjaya reports to the king that a powerful astra has spread through the battlefield; as it causes the Pāṇḍava forces to dwindle, Yudhiṣṭhira is overcome by great terror at the mounting losses and the uncontrollable reach of the weapon.