Shloka 18
शल्यपर्वणि प्रथमाध्यायः — Karṇa-vadha-anantaraṃ Śalya-niyogaḥ, Saṃjayasya Dhṛtarāṣṭra-nivedanam
दृष्टवैव च पुरे राजज्जन: सर्व: स संजयम् । क्लेशेन महता युक्त सर्वतो राजसत्तम
dṛṣṭvaiva ca pure rājan janaḥ sarvaḥ sa sañjayam | kleśena mahatā yuktaṃ sarvato rājasattama ||
ഹേ രാജൻ! നഗരത്തിൽ സഞ്ജയനെ കണ്ടയുടൻ തന്നെ സർവ്വജനങ്ങളും—ഹേ രാജസത്തമ—എല്ലാ വശങ്ങളിലും മഹാദുഃഖത്തിൽ ആകുലരായി.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how the consequences of adharma and war spread beyond the battlefield: even a messenger’s appearance can awaken collective sorrow, reminding rulers that public suffering is an ethical cost of conflict.
In the city, people see Sañjaya and immediately feel intense distress, sensing from his condition and presence that grave news has arrived from the war-front.