Shloka 46
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
तमापततन्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य मत्तवारणविक्रमम्,मतवाले हाथीके समान पराक्रम प्रकट करनेवाले श्वेतको धावा करते देख आपके सात रथियोंने मौतके दाँतोंमें फँसे हुए मद्रराज शल्यको बचानेकी इच्छा रखकर उन्हें चारों ओरसे घेर लिया
tam āpatatantaṃ samprekṣya mattavāraṇavikramaṃ, matavāle hāthīke samāna parākrama prakaṭ karanevāle śvetako dhāvā karate dekh āpake sāt rathiyōne mautake dāṁtōṁmeṁ phaṁse hue madrarāja śalyako bacānekī icchā rakhkar unheṁ cāroṁ orase gher liyā
Sañjaya berkata: Melihat Śveta mara menyerbu—memperlihatkan kegagahan seperti gajah mengamuk yang menerjang—tujuh pahlawan kereta perang pihak tuanku, dengan hasrat menyelamatkan Śalya, raja Madra yang seakan-akan telah terperangkap di rahang maut, lalu mengepungnya dari segenap penjuru.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a warrior’s ethical obligation to protect comrades and allies in crisis. Even in a destructive war, loyalty and the duty to safeguard one’s side—especially a vulnerable leader—are treated as integral to kṣatriya conduct.
Śveta charges forward with the force of a maddened elephant. Seeing Śalya, the king of Madra, in mortal danger, the seven chariot-warriors on the Kaurava side encircle him from all directions to shield and rescue him.