Shloka 25
त्रिपुरदाह-इतिहासः
Tripura-destruction exemplum and counsel to Śalya
शलभानामिव व्राताञ्शरब्रातान् महारथ: । रथोपगान् समीक्ष्यैवं विव्यथे नैव सौबल:,इति श्रीमहा भारते कर्णपर्वणि सुतसोमसौबलयुद्धे पजचरविंशो 5ध्याय:
sañjaya uvāca | śalabhānām iva vrātān śaravrātān mahārathaḥ | rathopagān samīkṣyaivaṁ vivyathe naiva saubalaḥ ||
സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—വെട്ടുക്കിളികളുടെ കൂട്ടംപോലെ രഥത്തേക്കു പാഞ്ഞുവരുന്ന ശരങ്ങളുടെ ഘനസമൂഹം കണ്ടിട്ടും സൗബലൻ (ശകുനി) അല്പവും വിറച്ചില്ല. ഇതി ശ്രീമഹാഭാരതേ കർണപർവണി സുതസോമ-സൗബലയുദ്ധേ ചതുര്വിംശോऽധ്യായഃ।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ideal of dhairya (steadfast courage): even when faced with overwhelming danger—arrows like a locust-swarm—a warrior is expected not to lose composure. It also implicitly points to the tragic intensity of war, where virtue is measured by endurance amid destruction.
Sañjaya describes a moment in the Sutasoma–Saubala combat: volleys of arrows surge toward the chariot in great numbers. Despite the threatening barrage, Saubala (Śakuni) remains unshaken, indicating his resolve in the duel.