Shloka 22
द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय ९०: हार्दिक्यस्य पराक्रमः
Kṛtavarmā’s Stand against the Pāṇḍavas
तयो: शड्खप्रणादेन तव सैन्ये विशाम्पते । आसन संहृष्टरोमाण: कम्पिता गतचेतस:,प्रजानाथ! उन दोनोंके शंखनादसे आपकी सेनाके समस्त योद्धाओंके रोंगटे खड़े हो गये, सब लोग काँपते हुए अचेत-से हो गये
tayoḥ śaṅkhapraṇādena tava sainye viśāmpate | āsan saṁhṛṣṭaromāṇaḥ kampitā gatacetasaḥ prajānātha ||
Sañjaya said: O lord of the people, O king, at the thunder of those two conches, the warriors in your army were seized with shock—hair standing on end; they trembled and seemed to lose their composure. The sound signaled not merely the start of battle, but a moral and psychological turning-point, exposing fear and wavering resolve in the face of a formidable, righteous opposition.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how external signals—here, the conch-blast—reveal inner moral and psychological states. In dharma-yuddha contexts, courage and clarity are not merely physical traits; fear, confusion, and loss of composure indicate a weakening of resolve and confidence, often tied to the perceived righteousness and strength of the opposing side.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the blast of two conches (from the opposing side) sends a wave of shock through the Kaurava forces: warriors experience gooseflesh, tremble, and become mentally unsteady, as if stunned by the ominous power of the sound.