Shloka 20
Āraṇyaka-parva, Adhyāya 17 — Śālva’s encampment and the Yādava counter-engagement at Dvārakā
हाहाकृतमभूत् सैन्यं शाल्वस्य पृथिवीपते । नष्टसंज्ञे निपतिते तदा सौभपतौ नृूपे,पृथ्वीपते! उस समय सौभ विमानका स्वामी राजा शाल्व जब संज्ञाशून्य होकर धराशायी हो गया, तब उसकी समस्त सेनामें हाहाकार मच गया
hāhākṛtam abhūt sainyaṃ śālvasya pṛthivīpate | naṣṭasaṃjñe nipatite tadā saubhapatau nṛpe ||
王よ、地上の主にしてサウバの空中城の主、シャールヴァが気を失って倒れると、その全軍はたちまち恐慌に陥り、悲鳴と嘆きの大音声が湧き起こった。この場面は、指揮が打たれたとき武の自信がいかに速やかに崩れるか、また戦の趨勢が心の定まりと統率の力にいかに懸かっているかを示している。
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of collective morale in war: when the leader loses composure or is incapacitated, the army’s confidence collapses into chaos. It implicitly values steadiness, responsible command, and the ethical weight borne by rulers whose condition affects many.
Vāyudeva describes a battlefield moment: King Śālva, identified as the master of the Saubha aerial city, falls unconscious. Seeing their king down, Śālva’s troops erupt in a loud outcry and disorder.