Shloka 18
Saṃśaptakas in Candrārdha-vyūha; Arjuna’s Devadatta and the Traigarta Rout
Chapter 17
सहिता भ्रातर: पञजच रथानामयुतेन च । न्यवर्तन्त महाराज कृत्वा शपथमाहवे,भरतनन्दन! सुशमाके ऐसा कहनेपर सत्यरथ, सत्यवर्मा, सत्यव्रत, सत्येषु तथा सत्यकर्मा नामवाले उसके पाँच भाइयोंने भी इसी प्रतिज्ञाको दुहराया। उनके साथ दस हजार रथियोंकी सेना भी थी। महाराज! ये लोग युद्धके लिये शपथ खाकर लौटे थे
sahitā bhrātaraḥ pañca rathānām ayutena ca | nyavartanta mahārāja kṛtvā śapatham āhave bharatanandana ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai raja agung, kebanggaan keturunan Bhārata, dia kembali bersama lima orang saudaranya dan satu pasukan sepuluh ribu pahlawan kereta perang, setelah mengangkat sumpah yang khidmat untuk bertempur.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical force of a sworn vow (śapatha) in a warrior context: once an oath is taken for battle, it becomes a binding commitment that shapes conduct and intensifies responsibility for the consequences of war.
Sanjaya reports to the king that a warrior returned to the battlefield accompanied by his five brothers and a contingent of ten thousand chariot-fighters, all having taken an oath to fight—signaling organized reinforcement and heightened determination.