Shloka 7
अध्याय २६ — शल्यस्य सारथ्य-नियोजनं, कर्णस्य प्रस्थानं, उत्पातदर्शनं च
Chapter 26: Śalya appointed as charioteer; Karṇa’s departure; portents
ते हन्यमाना: समरे नाजहु: पाण्डवं रणे । हन्यमाना महाराज शलभा इव पावकम्,जैसे पतंगे जलते रहनेपर भी आगमें टूटे पड़ते हैं, उसी प्रकार रणभूमिमें मारे जानेपर भी वे समस्त योद्धा युद्धमें पाण्डुकुमार अर्जुनको छोड़कर भाग न सके
te hanyamānāḥ samare nājahuḥ pāṇḍavaṃ raṇe | hanyamānā mahārāja śalabhā iva pāvakam ||
Sañjaya berkata: Walaupun mereka dihentam dan dibunuh dalam pertempuran, mereka tidak meninggalkan putera Pāṇḍu (Arjuna) di medan laga. Wahai Raja, bahkan ketika sedang ditewaskan, mereka tetap menerjangnya seperti rama-rama malam yang, meski terbakar, masih juga terjun ke dalam api.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, intense resolve and rage can drive fighters to persist even when it is clearly self-destructive—like moths drawn to flame. It implicitly warns that courage without discernment can become ruinous.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the warriors facing Arjuna did not retreat from him even as they were being killed; instead, they continued to press the attack, compared to moths repeatedly rushing into fire.