Shloka 406
अभ्ययात् पाण्डवानीकं निध्नज्शत्रुगणान् बहून् । तत्पश्चात् सुतसोम श्रुतकीर्तिके विशाल रथपर चढ़ गया। उधर शकुनि भी दूसरा अत्यन्त दुर्जय एवं भयंकर धनुष लेकर बहुत-से शत्रुओंका संहार करता हुआ पाण्डव- सेनाकी ओर चल दिया
sañjaya uvāca | abhyayāt pāṇḍavānīkaṃ nighnan śatrugaṇān bahūn | tatpaścāt sutasomaḥ śrutakīrtikaś ca viśālarathaparivṛtaḥ samāruroha | udharaḥ śakuniḥ api dvitīyam atyantadurjayaṃ bhayaṅkaraṃ dhanuḥ gṛhītvā bahuśaḥ śatrūn saṃharan pāṇḍavasenāṃ prati calitaḥ |
Sanjaya said: Advancing toward the Pandava host, he struck down many bands of enemies. After that, Sutasoma and Shrutakirti—surrounded by great chariot-warriors—mounted and moved into action. On the other side, Shakuni too, taking up a second bow, exceedingly hard to overcome and terrifying, proceeded toward the Pandava army while cutting down many foes. The scene underscores the relentless momentum of battle, where prowess and resolve drive men forward even as the moral weight of slaughter accumulates.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the inexorable drive of warriors in battle—valor and determination propel action, yet the narrative implicitly reminds the listener of the grave moral burden of mass killing, a recurring Mahabharata tension between kshatriya duty and the human cost of war.
Sanjaya describes a surge in the fighting: a warrior advances into the Pandava host slaying many; then Sutasoma and Shrutakirti enter the fray with chariot support; simultaneously Shakuni, taking up another formidable bow, moves against the Pandava forces while continuing to kill.