Shloka 20
Adhyāya 65: Dawn Assembly, Makara–Śyena Vyūhas, and Commander Engagements
अभ्यवर्तन्त संद्ृष्टा: परस्परवधैषिण: । ते वै समेयु: संग्रामे राजन् दुर्मन्त्रिते तव,राजन! ये सब एक-दूसरेके वधकी इच्छा रखकर हर्ष और उत्साहके साथ क्षत्रियोंका सामना करते थे। आपकी कुमन्त्रणाके फलस्वरूप ही इन सब योद्धाओंकी आपसमें भिड़न्त हुई थी
sañjaya uvāca | abhyavartanta saṃdṛṣṭāḥ parasparavadhaiṣiṇaḥ | te vai sameyuḥ saṅgrāme rājan durmantrite tava ||
Sañjaya berkata: Setelah saling terlihat, dengan niat saling membunuh, mereka mara ke hadapan. Sesungguhnya, wahai Raja, mereka bertemu dalam pertempuran—suatu pertembungan yang terjadi akibat nasihat burukmu, dan akibatnya ialah perlanggaran para pahlawan itu sesama sendiri.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores moral responsibility in governance: destructive outcomes in war are not merely accidental but can be traced to flawed counsel and unethical decision-making, for which the ruler bears accountability.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that opposing warriors, once they came within sight of each other, advanced eagerly with the intent to kill, and that their direct clash in battle occurred as a consequence of the king’s misguided policies.