Shloka 13
Śalya-parva Adhyāya 34: Balarāma’s Withdrawal, Sarasvatī Pilgrimage Logistics, and Prabhāsa as Soma’s Renewal Tīrtha
पश्य युद्ध महाबाहो इति ते राममत्रुवन् । एवमूचुर्महात्मानं रौहिणेयं नराधिपा:,वे सब नरेश सब ओरसे स्वागतपूर्वक समादर करके वहाँ महात्मा रोहिणीपुत्र बलरामजीसे बोले--“महाबाहो! युद्ध देखिये”
paśya yuddha mahābāho iti te rāmam abruvan | evam ūcur mahātmānaṃ rauhiṇeyaṃ narādhipāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: The kings, having welcomed him from all sides with due honor, addressed the great-souled Rauhiṇeya (Balarāma): “O mighty-armed one, behold the battle.” The moment frames how rulers, even amid impending slaughter, seek the sanction and witness of a revered elder—revealing both the pull of spectacle and the desire for moral legitimacy in war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how social honor and moral authority are invoked in wartime: rulers seek the presence and approval of a respected elder (Balarāma) as a witness, suggesting that even violent action is framed within codes of status, propriety, and perceived legitimacy.
Sañjaya reports that the assembled kings respectfully welcome Balarāma (Rauhiṇeya) and invite him to watch the battle, addressing him as “mighty-armed,” indicating his stature and the importance they attach to his presence.