Shloka 2
शल्यस्य पाण्डवसेनापीडनम् — Śalya’s Assault on the Pāṇḍava Host
with Omens and Bhīma’s Counter
संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! उस सेनाको इस तरह भागती देख प्रतापी मद्रराज शल्यने अपने सारथिसे कहा--'सूत! मेरे महावेगशाली घोड़ोंको शीघ्रतापूर्वक आगे बढ़ाओ ।। एष तिष्ठति वै राजा पाण्दुपुत्रो युधिष्ठिर: । छत्रेण प्रियमाणेन पाण्डुरेण विराजता,“देखो, ये सामने मस्तकपर शोभाशाली श्वेत छत्र लगाये हुए पाण्डुपुत्र राजा युधिष्ठिर खड़े हैं
sañjaya uvāca—rājan! tāṃ senām itthaṃ bhāgatīṃ dṛṣṭvā pratāpī madrarājaḥ śalyaḥ svam sārathim uvāca—“sūta! mama mahāvegān aśvān śīghram agre naya. eṣa tiṣṭhati vai rājā pāṇḍuputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ, chatreṇa priyamāṇena pāṇḍureṇa virājatā.”
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, melihat bala tentera itu lari demikian, raja Madra yang gagah, Śalya, berkata kepada sais keretanya: ‘Wahai sais, paculah segera kuda-kudaku yang kuat dan pantas itu ke hadapan. Lihat—di sana berdiri Raja Yudhishthira, putera Pāṇḍu, bersinar dengan payung putih yang indah terangkat di atas kepalanya.’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how royal authority and moral stature are publicly signaled in war: Yudhishthira is identified not only as a target in battle but as a legitimate king marked by the white parasol, a symbol of sovereignty. It also shows decisive leadership—Shalya responds to battlefield momentum by directing immediate action.
As troops are seen fleeing, Shalya, king of Madra, urges his charioteer to drive forward quickly. He points out Yudhishthira standing ahead, distinguished by a beautiful white royal parasol, indicating Yudhishthira’s kingly status and visibility on the battlefield.