Shloka 27
रणभूमिवर्णनम् — Devāsuropama-yuddha and the ‘River’ Metaphor of the Battlefield
दुर्योधनो5भवन्मध्ये रक्षित: कुरुपुज्गवै: । हयानीकेन महता सौबलश्चापि संवृत:
duryodhano 'bhavan madhye rakṣitaḥ kurupuṅgavaiḥ | hayānīkena mahatā saubalaś cāpi saṃvṛtaḥ ||
サञ्जयは言った。「ドゥルヨーダナは中央に立ち、クル族の精鋭に守られていた。さらに大いなる騎兵隊が彼を取り囲み、そこにはスバラ家のシャクニもいた。」この偈は、混乱する戦場で王を守るために、精鋭と大軍とを重ねて配するというカウラヴァ軍の意図を示し、指導者を護ることの戦略的・道義的重みを語っている。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical and strategic burden of kingship in war: a ruler becomes the focal point of collective effort, and protecting leadership is treated as protecting the army’s cohesion and purpose. It also hints at the dependence of power on both elite virtue/valor (foremost warriors) and sheer military resources (large cavalry).
Sañjaya describes the Kaurava battle-array: Duryodhana is positioned at the center, guarded by the best Kuru fighters, and additionally ringed by a large cavalry unit, with Śakuni present as part of that protective enclosure.