Shloka 20
द्रोणस्य सुपर्णव्यूहः — युधिष्ठिरप्रत्यव्यूहः
Droṇa’s Suparṇa Formation and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Counter-array
भेरीमृदड्शशड्खांश्व दध्मुर्वीरा: सहस्रश: । सिंहनादरवांक्षोग्रांक्ष॒क्रिरे तत्र मारिष,आर्य! वे सहस्रों वीर वहाँ भेरी, मृदंग और शंख बजाने तथा भयानक सिंहनाद करने लगे
bherīmṛdaṅgaśaṅkhāṃś ca dadhmur vīrāḥ sahasraśaḥ | siṃhanādaravāṃś cogrān cakrire tatra māriṣa ||
サञ्जयは語った。「その場で、幾千もの勇士が法螺貝を吹き、太鼓（ケトルドラム）や諸々の戦鼓を打ち鳴らし、さらに猛々しく恐るべき獅子の咆哮をあげた。――それは武威を示し、味方の陣を奮い立たせ、敵軍に恐怖を投げかけるための轟きであり、戦の暴威が勢いを増すにつれて一層高まっていった。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how sound—drums, conches, and battle-cries—functions as a moral-neutral tool in war: it strengthens one’s own resolve and intimidates the enemy. It implicitly shows the escalation of conflict and the collective psychology that drives armies toward violence.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, on the battlefield, thousands of warriors begin blowing conches and beating war-drums, while shouting fierce lion-like roars—signaling readiness and intensifying the atmosphere before or during combat.