Shloka 31
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ६२: वासुदेवमहात्म्यप्रशंसा (देव–ब्रह्मसंवादः)
तान् निवृत्तान् समीक्ष्यैव ततो<न्येडपीतरे जना: । अन्योन्यस्पर्थया राजल्लँज्जया चावतस्थिरे,राजन! उन सबको लौटते देख दूसरे लोग भी एक-दूसरेकी स्पर्धा तथा लज्जाके कारण ठहर गये
tān nivṛttān samīkṣyaiva tato 'nye 'pi itare janāḥ | anyonya-spardhayā rājan lajjayā cāvatasthire ||
サンジャヤは言った。彼らが引き返したのを見て、ほかの者たちもまた、王よ、互いの競り合いと恥の念ゆえに足を止めた。戦の張りつめた空気の中では、誇りと羞恥が恐れと同じほど行動を抑え、社会的名誉が戦場においてさえ人の振る舞いを支配することが明らかとなる。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how social emotions—rivalry and shame—can restrain or redirect behavior. Even in war, people are governed not only by strategy or fear but by honor-culture pressures: the desire not to appear inferior and the reluctance to act disgracefully.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that when some fighters withdrew, others, seeing this, also stopped advancing. They hesitated and remained standing, checked by mutual competition and embarrassment.