Shloka 30
त्रिपुरदाह-इतिहासः
Tripura-destruction exemplum and counsel to Śalya
रथ तो नष्ट हो ही चुका था, जब धनुष भी कट गया, तब सुतसोमने वैदूर्यमणि तथा नील कमलके समान श्याम रंगवाले, हाथीके दाँतकी बनी हुई मूठसे युक्त खड्गको ऊपर उठाकर बड़े जोरसे गर्जना की ।। भ्राम्यमाणं ततस्तं तु विमलाम्बरवर्चसम् | कालदण्डोपमं मेने सुतसोमस्य धीमत:,बुद्धिमान् सुतसोमके उस निर्मल आकाशके समान कान्तिवाले खड़्गको घुमाया जाता देख शकुनिने उसे अपने लिये कालदण्डके समान माना
bhrāmyamāṇaṃ tatastam tu vimalāmbaravarcasaṃ | kāladaṇḍopamaṃ mene sutasomasya dhīmataḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then, seeing that radiant sword of the wise Sutasoma—shining like the spotless sky—being whirled about, Śakuni judged it to be like the staff of Death itself for him. In the background, Sutasoma, with his chariot ruined and his bow cut down, lifted up his sword with an ivory hilt, dark-hued like a vaidūrya gem and a blue lotus, and roared with great force—signaling unwavering resolve amid the chaos of battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how moral and psychological force in battle can be as decisive as weapons: steadfast courage and clarity (dhī) make a warrior’s action appear irresistible, even ‘death-like,’ to an opponent—showing how fear and conscience shape perception in moments of crisis.
After Sutasoma’s chariot is destroyed and his bow is cut, he switches to a sword and whirls it with brilliance. Observing this, Śakuni interprets the sword as a kāladaṇḍa—an omen of imminent death—indicating Śakuni’s alarm at Sutasoma’s renewed, fierce resistance.