Shloka 6
Kuru-Sainika-Āśvāsana and Vijayaghoṣaṇa
Reassuring the Kuru Soldiers; Proclaiming Victory
उपप्लवन्ति वित्रस्ता रथेभ्यो रथिनस्तथा । सादिनश्चाश्वपृछे भ्यो भूमौ चैव पदातय:
upaplavanti vitrastā rathebhyo rathinas tathā | sādinaś cāśvapṛṣṭhebhyo bhūmau caiva padātayaḥ ||
ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ດ້ວຍຄວາມຫວາດກົວ, ນັກຮົບລົດສົງຄາມໂດດລົງຈາກລົດ; ນັກຂີ່ມ້າກໍໂດດລົງຈາກຫຼັງມ້າ; ແລະນັກຮົບທີ່ຍ່າງຕີນ ຜູ້ຢູ່ເທິງດິນຢູ່ແລ້ວ ກໍກະຈາຍຫນີໄປດ້ວຍຄວາມຕົກໃຈ—ແຕ່ລະຄົນຫນີເພື່ອຮັກສາຊີວິດ. ພາບນີ້ຊີ້ໃຫ້ເຫັນວ່າ ເມື່ອຄວາມໝັ້ນໃຈແລະການຄຸ້ມຄອງພັງທະລາຍ, ຄວາມຢ້ານກົວສາມາດລະລາຍລະບຽບວິໄນແລະຄວາມແນ່ວແນ່ໃນສົງຄາມໄດ້.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of martial discipline: when fear overwhelms, even trained warriors abandon their stations. Ethically, it contrasts outward status (chariot-warrior, horseman, infantry) with the inner quality of steadiness (dhairya), implying that true strength is composure under threat.
A sudden surge of terror spreads through the troops. Chariot-fighters jump down from their chariots, cavalrymen spring off their horses, and the infantry scatter on foot—an image of a force breaking formation and fleeing in confusion.