Shloka 9
रणभूमिवर्णनम् — Devāsuropama-yuddha and the ‘River’ Metaphor of the Battlefield
यो होक: पाण्डवैर्युध्येद् यो वा युध्यन्तमुत्सूजेत् । स पज्चभिर्भवेद् युक्त: पातकैश्नोपपातकै:
yo hokaḥ pāṇḍavair yudhyed yo vā yudhyantam utsṛjet | sa pañcabhir bhaved yuktaḥ pātakaiś copapātakaiḥ ||
サञ्जयは語った――「我らのうち、単身でパーンダヴァと戦う者、また既に戦っている戦士を見捨てる者は、穢れを負う――五つの大罪と小罪の咎に縛られる。ゆえにこの戦では、孤軍の戦いを求めず、戦闘のさなかに同胞を捨ててはならぬ。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames two battlefield failures as moral transgressions: reckless solitary engagement against the Pāṇḍavas and, more seriously, deserting an ally already fighting. It emphasizes solidarity, disciplined conduct, and responsibility to comrades as part of righteous war-behavior.
In the Shalya Parva war setting, Sañjaya reports a stern directive meant to regulate the Kaurava side’s conduct: no warrior should fight the Pāṇḍavas alone, and no one should abandon a comrade mid-combat—both acts are declared sinful, carrying heavy moral blame.