Shloka 7
रणभूमिवर्णनम् — Devāsuropama-yuddha and the ‘River’ Metaphor of the Battlefield
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्ा भारत शल्यपर्वमें शल्यका सेनापतिके पदपर अभिषेकाविषयक सातवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ,ततः सर्वे समागम्य पुत्रेण तव सैनिका: । कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च द्रौणि: शल्योडथ सौबल:
tataḥ sarve samāgamya putreṇa tava sainikāḥ | kṛpaś ca kṛtavarmā ca drauṇiḥ śalyaḥ atha saubalaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then all those warriors of yours, gathered together with your son. Among them were Kṛpa, Kṛtavarmā, Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāmā), Śalya, and Saubala (Śakuni). The verse marks a moment of consolidation after a leadership decision: the Kaurava side assembles its principal commanders around Duryodhana, underscoring the war’s grim continuity and the ethical weight of choosing to persist in conflict despite mounting ruin.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how collective resolve and leadership structures can sustain a course of action—even a destructive one. Ethically, it invites reflection on responsibility: when eminent elders and allies rally around a leader, their support amplifies the consequences of continuing adharma-driven conflict.
After the developments concerning Śalya’s command, the principal Kaurava warriors assemble together with Duryodhana. The verse lists key figures—Kṛpa, Kṛtavarmā, Aśvatthāmā, Śalya, and Śakuni—signaling a strategic regrouping of the Kaurava leadership.