Shloka 28
शल्यवधे कौरवसेनाभङ्गः, भीमस्य गदायुद्धं, दुर्योधनस्य समाह्वानम्
Rout after Śalya’s fall; Bhīma’s mace engagement; Duryodhana’s rally
ते मुहूर्ताद रणे वीरा हस्ताहस्ति विशाम्पते
te muhūrtād raṇe vīrā hastāhasti viśāmpate
サञ्जயは言った。「まさにその時より、ああ民の主よ、戦場の勇士たちは互いに迫り合い、手と手を取り合うほどに組みついて、白兵の戦いに入った——距離や器具ではなく、直の対面によってこそ武勇が試される、戦の陰惨な切迫を映す光景であった。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the immediacy and severity of righteous warfare as experienced by kṣatriyas: when conflict reaches hand-to-hand range, courage, restraint, and responsibility are tested most directly, underscoring the ethical weight of violence and the consequences of choices that lead to such confrontation.
Sañjaya reports to the king that the warriors, without delay, engaged in close-quarters fighting on the battlefield, indicating an escalation into direct hand-to-hand combat.