Shloka 9
Chapter 19: Prativyūha of the Pāṇḍavas — Vajra (Acala) Formation and Dawn Omens
तेजांसि रिपुसैन्यानां मृदूनन् पुरुषसत्तम: | अग्रेडग्रणीर्योत्स्यति नो युद्धोपायविचक्षण:
tejāṁsi ripusainyānāṁ mṛdūnan puruṣasattamaḥ | agre ’graṇīr yotsyati no yuddhopāyavicakṣaṇaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Insan terunggul itu, mahir dalam helah dan siasat perang, akan bertempur di kepala barisan kita sebagai juara pendahulu, menghancurkan keangkuhan dan gemilang bala tentera musuh.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya leadership in war: a capable commander should stand at the front and, through skill (upāya) and discernment (vicakṣaṇa), neutralize the enemy’s effective power (tejas) rather than relying on mere force.
Sañjaya, reporting battlefield dispositions, describes a foremost warrior on their side who will lead from the front and fight in a way that breaks the enemy host’s strength and morale, emphasizing tactical competence and command.