Shloka 90
समागता लोकवीरा: शंखान् दशध्मु: पृथक् पृथक् वासुदेवार्जुनौी वीरौ कर्णशल्यौ च भारत
samāgatā lokavīrāḥ śaṅkhān daśadhmuḥ pṛthak pṛthak | vāsudevārjunau vīrau karṇaśalyau ca bhārata ||
Sañjaya berkata: Apabila para wira yang masyhur di kalangan rakyat telah berhimpun, masing-masing meniup sangkakala (cangkerang) mereka secara berasingan. Wahai Bhārata, dua yang gagah—Vāsudeva dan Arjuna—melakukannya, demikian juga Karṇa dan Śalya. Tiupan yang berbeza-beza itu menandai kesiapsiagaan para pahlawan terunggul dan mengisytiharkan permulaan perang yang khidmat, tempat kemasyhuran, dharma (tanggungjawab), dan beban keganasan bertemu.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the martial rite of blowing conches as a public declaration of readiness and resolve. Ethically, it frames war as a solemn, duty-bound undertaking for kṣatriya heroes—where personal valor is displayed, yet the gravity of impending violence is implicitly acknowledged.
As the leading warriors assemble, each blows his conch separately. Sañjaya specifically notes the paired heroes Vāsudeva and Arjuna, and also Karṇa and Śalya, indicating both sides’ champions sounding the formal signal that battle is about to commence.