Shloka 2
Rajo-dhūli-saṃmūḍha-saṅgrāmaḥ
The Dust-Obscured Battle and Mutual Charges
सेनापतिं समाकर्ण्य श्वेतं युधि निपातितम् । तदर्थ यततां चापि परेषां प्रपलायिनाम्
senāpatiṁ samākarṇya śvetaṁ yudhi nipātitam | tadarthaṁ yatatāṁ cāpi pareṣāṁ prapalāyinām ||
ທຣິຕະຣາສະຕຣະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ເມື່ອໄດ້ຍິນວ່າ ສະເວຕະ ແມ່ທັບ ຖືກຕີລົງໃນສົງຄາມ, ແລະວ່າຄົນອື່ນໆ—ແມ່ນແມ່ນພະຍາຍາມເພື່ອເປົ້າໝາຍນັ້ນ—ກໍຍັງພາກັນຫນີຈາກສັດຕູ, (ຈົ່ງເລົ່າໃຫ້ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຟັງວ່າຕໍ່ຈາກນັ້ນເກີດຫຍັງ).
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension in war between kṣatriya-duty (steadfastness under danger) and the human impulse to flee when leadership falls; the collapse of a commander can trigger moral and strategic disintegration in an army.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks about the consequences after hearing that Śveta, described as a commander, has been killed in battle and that the remaining fighters, despite their efforts, are retreating in panic.