Shloka 9
महारथौ तौ परिवार्य सर्वतः सुरासुरा: शम्बरवासवाविव । “किसीको युद्धसे मुँह मोड़कर भागना नहीं चाहिये” इस नियमसे प्रेरित होकर आपके और शत्रुपक्षके सैनिक उन दोनों महारथियोंको चारों ओरसे घेरकर उसी प्रकार युद्धमें डटे रहे, जैसे पूर्वकालमें देवता और असुर, इन्द्र और शम्बरासुरको घेरकर खड़े हुए थे ।। मृदड्रभेरीपणवानकस्वनै: ससिंहनादैर्नदतुर्नरोत्तमौ
sañjaya uvāca |
mahārathau tau parivārya sarvataḥ surāsurāḥ śambaravāsavāv iva |
“kasyacid yuddhāt mukhaṁ moḍayitvā palāyanaṁ na kartavyam” iti niyamena preritāḥ tava ca śatrupakṣasya ca sainikāḥ tau ubhau mahārathī sarvato gheritvā tathā yuddhe ’vatiṣṭhanta, yathā purā devāś ca asurāś ca indraṁ ca śambarāsuraṁ ca parivārya tasthuḥ ||
mṛdaṅga-bherī-paṇava-ānaka-svanaiḥ sa-siṁha-nādaiḥ nadatur narottamau ||
Sañjaya said: Those two great chariot-warriors were surrounded on every side, as the gods and the asuras once ringed about Vāsava (Indra) and Śambara. Driven by the rule that one should not turn one’s face away from battle and flee, the soldiers of both your side and the enemy’s side stood firm in the fight, hemming in those two heroes. Amid the blare of mṛdaṅgas, bherīs, paṇavas and ānakas, and with lion-like roars, the two foremost of men thundered on.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic aligned with kṣatriya-dharma: one should not turn away from combat and flee. This norm is presented as a motivating discipline that keeps warriors steady even amid danger.
Sañjaya describes two great chariot-warriors being encircled by troops from both sides, who hold their ground under the rule against retreat. The scene is intensified by drums and lion-like battle-cries, and is compared to the ancient encirclement of Indra and the asura Śambara.