Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 33
Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
तदभ्रमिव वातेन क्षिप्पमाणं समन्ततः । अभज्यत महाराज पाण्डूनां सुमहद् बलम्
tad abhram iva vātena kṣippamāṇaṃ samantataḥ | abhajyata mahārāja pāṇḍūnāṃ sumahad balam ||
ສັນຊະຍະກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ພຣະມະຫາກະສັດ, ເຫມືອນກຸ່ມເມກຖືກລົມພັດກະແທກ ຈົນແຕກກະຈາຍທຸກທິດ, ສະເໝີນກັນນັ້ນ ພາຍໃຕ້ການໂຈມຕີນີ້ ຮູບຂະບວນຮົບຂອງກອງທັບໃຫຍ່ຂອງປານດະວະຖືກທໍາລາຍ»។
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the fragility of even a mighty force when struck by overwhelming momentum: in war, strength is not only numbers but cohesion and formation; once unity is disrupted, power disperses like clouds torn by wind.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a fierce assault has caused the Pāṇḍavas’ large army to lose its organized battle-array; he illustrates the scene with a vivid simile of clouds scattered and shredded by strong wind.