Shloka 49
Irāvān-nidhana-anantaraṃ Ghaṭotkaca-nādaḥ
After Irāvān’s fall: Ghaṭotkaca’s roar and the clash with Duryodhana
समासाद्य तु कौन्तेयो राज्ञस्तान् भीष्मरक्षिण: । सुशर्माणमथो राजन्निदं वचनमत्रवीत्,राजन! कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुनने भीष्मकी रक्षा करनेवाले उन राजाओंके पास जाकर सुशर्मासे इस प्रकार कहा--
samāsādya tu kaunteyo rājñas tān bhīṣmarakṣiṇaḥ | suśarmāṇam atho rājan idaṃ vacanam abravīt ||
സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—“രാജാവേ! തുടർന്ന് കുന്തീപുത്രൻ അർജുനൻ ഭീഷ്മനെ കാവൽനിൽക്കുന്ന ആ രാജാക്കന്മാരുടെ അടുക്കൽ ചെന്നു; ഹേ നരപതേ, സുഷർമനോട് ഈ വാക്കുകൾ പറഞ്ഞു.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of direct engagement: warriors act within their pledged loyalties—some guarding Bhishma, Arjuna confronting their leader—showing how dharma in war often manifests as steadfastness to one’s chosen duty and alliance.
Sanjaya reports that Arjuna goes up to the group of kings stationed to protect Bhishma and then speaks to Susharman, indicating an impending exchange—typically a challenge or declaration—before combat.