Shloka 19
Śalya–Bhīma Gadā-saṃnipāta and Śalya’s Bāṇa-jāla against Yudhiṣṭhira
Book 9, Chapter 11
ततस्तद् युद्धमत्युग्रमभवत् सहचारिणाम् | तथा सर्वाण्यनीकानि संनिपत्य जनाधिप
tatas tad yuddham atyugram abhavat sahacāriṇām | tathā sarvāṇy anīkāni saṁnipatya janādhipa ||
Sanjaya said: Thereupon that battle among the allied companions grew exceedingly fierce. In the same way, O king, all the divisions of the armies, having closed in together, collided in a single, tumultuous engagement—where loyalty to one’s side and the demands of kṣatriya duty drove men into relentless combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how collective allegiance and kṣatriya duty intensify warfare: once armies converge, personal restraint yields to the momentum of mass conflict, highlighting the ethical gravity of decisions that lead to war.
Sanjaya reports to the king that the fighting has become extremely fierce, with all the army divisions pressing together and clashing at once, marking a heightened phase of the battle.