Shloka 42
Nakula’s Engagement with Citra-sena and Karṇa’s Sons; Śalya Re-stabilizes the Kaurava Host
ततो न्यवर्तत बल॑ तावकं भरतर्षभ । शरै: प्रणुन्नं बहुधा पाण्डवैर्जितकाशिभि:
tato nyavartata balaṁ tāvakaṁ bharatarṣabha | śaraiḥ praṇunnaṁ bahudhā pāṇḍavair jitakāśibhiḥ ||
അതിനുശേഷം, ഹേ ഭാരതശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! കാശി ജയിച്ച പാണ്ഡവർ എറിഞ്ഞ അമ്പുകളുടെ മഴയിൽ പലവട്ടം തള്ളിക്കളയപ്പെട്ടു നിന്റെ കൗരവസേന പിന്നോട്ടു മടങ്ങി।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the ethics of kṣatriya warfare, numerical strength alone does not secure victory; disciplined valor, skillful archery, and steadfast resistance can reverse an army’s momentum. The verse highlights how morale and tactical pressure can compel withdrawal.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava forces turned back/retreated because they were repeatedly struck and driven by the Pāṇḍavas’ arrows; the Pāṇḍavas are described with the epithet ‘conquerors of Kāśī.’