Shloka 10
शल्य–युधिष्ठिरयुद्धप्रारम्भः
Commencement of the Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Duel
तथा तौ तु यमौ युद्धे यमतुल्यपराक्रमौ । योधयामास राजेन्द्र वीर्येणास्त्रबलेन च,राजेन्द्र! वे युद्धमें यमराजके तुल्य पराक्रमी नकुल और सहदेवके साथ भी अपने पराक्रम और अस्त्रबलसे युद्ध कर रहे थे
tathā tau tu yamau yuddhe yamatulya-parākramau | yodhayāmāsa rājendra vīryeṇāstra-balena ca ||
Sañjaya berkata: Kemudian kedua-dua saudara kembar itu—Nakula dan Sahadeva, yang kegagahan mereka di medan perang seumpama Yama—pun terlibat dalam pertempuran. Wahai raja, mereka ditentang dengan keberanian semata-mata dan kekuatan senjata, tatkala perjuangan itu terus mengganas dalam arus perang yang benar namun mengerikan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma: in war, opponents are met through courage (vīrya) and disciplined martial skill (astra-bala). By likening the twins’ prowess to Yama, it also evokes the ethical gravity of battle—combat is inseparable from the presence of death and consequence.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the twin Pāṇḍavas, Nakula and Sahadeva—terrible in strength like Yama—are being engaged in fierce fighting, met with valor and the power of weapons on the battlefield.