Shloka 43
शल्य–युधिष्ठिरयुद्धप्रारम्भः
Commencement of the Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Duel
तत्र शल्यरथं राजन् विचरन्तं महाहवे । अपश्याम यथापूर्व शक्रस्यासुरसंक्षये
tatra śalyarathaṃ rājan vicarantaṃ mahāhave | apaśyāma yathāpūrva śakrasyāsurasaṃkṣaye ||
Sanjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, dalam pertempuran besar itu kami melihat rata perang Raja Śalya bergerak ke sana ke mari—seperti pada zaman dahulu, ketika rata Indra mara ke hadapan saat memusnahkan para Asura. Dengan perbandingan ini, kehadiran Śalya yang pantas dan menguasai medan digambarkan sebagai suatu kuasa yang menggerunkan, menambah berat moral pada kehancuran perang.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how epic poetry uses divine comparison to convey battlefield dominance, while implicitly reminding the listener that even ‘Indra-like’ prowess operates within the tragic, morally heavy context of mass destruction.
Sanjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that he saw Śalya’s chariot ranging across the great battle, likening its forward movement to Indra’s chariot in the ancient wars where the Asuras were being destroyed.