Shloka 16
धृतराष्ट्रविलापः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament and Inquiry (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 2)
भगदत्त: कृप: शल्य आवन्त्यो5थ जयद्रथ: । भूरिश्रवा: सोमदत्तो महाराजश्न बाह्विक:
bhagadattaḥ kṛpaḥ śalya āvantyo ’tha jayadrathaḥ | bhūriśravāḥ somadatto mahārājaś ca bāhvikaḥ ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Bhagadatta, Kṛpa, Śalya, the king of Avanti, and Jayadratha; Bhūriśravas, Somadatta, and also the great king Bāhlika.” In this passage, the blind king enumerates prominent Kaurava-aligned warriors—an act that underscores the moral weight of leadership in war: naming the mighty is also acknowledging the grave responsibility and the impending cost of their choices on the battlefield.
धघतयाट्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical burden of power in wartime: to name and marshal great warriors is to accept accountability for the destruction their strength can bring. It implicitly points to the ruler’s responsibility (rājadharma) in choosing counsel, alliances, and the path of conflict.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra enumerates notable Kaurava-side fighters—Bhagadatta, Kṛpa, Śalya, the Avanti king, Jayadratha, Bhūriśravas, Somadatta, and Bāhlika—situating them among the principal forces active in the Shalya Parva war narrative.