Shloka 18
सौमदत्ति: सुशर्मा च काम्बोजश्न सुदक्षिण: । श्रुतायुश्नाच्युतायुश्न दक्षिणं पक्षमास्थिता:
saumadattiḥ suśarmā ca kāmbojaś ca sudakṣiṇaḥ | śrutāyuś cācyutāyuś ca dakṣiṇaṃ pakṣam āsthitāḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Di sayap selatan bala tentera Kaurava berdiri putera Somadatta (Bhūriśravas), bersama Suśarmā, raja Kāmboja Sudakṣiṇa, serta para pahlawan Śrutāyu dan Acyutāyu. Di sana mereka ditempatkan untuk menjaga sayap itu—susunan panglima yang teratur, menegaskan bahawa perang ini bukan pergelutan kacau, melainkan pengerahan pasukan yang berdisiplin dan berlandaskan dharma serta kewajipan.
(संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a destructive conflict, the epic highlights order, responsibility, and role-based duty: commanders are assigned to protect specific flanks, showing that action (karma) is undertaken with structure and accountability rather than impulsive violence.
Sañjaya is reporting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the Kaurava battle-array and its defenders. In this verse he lists the warriors positioned on the southern wing—Saumadatti (Bhūriśravas), Suśarmā, Sudakṣiṇa, Śrutāyu, and Acyutāyu—who are tasked with guarding that side of the army.