Shloka 40
Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)
निरीक्षितो5सौ नरदेव राज्ञा पूतात्मना निर्हटकल्मषेण । आसीजन्न यद् भस्मसान्मद्रराज- स्तदद्भुतं मे प्रतिभाति राजन्
nirīkṣito ’sau naradeva rājñā pūtātmanā nirhaṭa-kalmaṣeṇa | āsījan na yad bhasmasān madra-rājas tad adbhutaṃ me pratibhāti rājan ||
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, penguasa Madra itu diperhatikan dengan teliti oleh sang raja yang suci jiwanya dan telah menyingkirkan segala noda; namun ia tidak duduk di atas abu. Hal itu, wahai Raja, tampak sungguh menghairankan bagiku.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid the moral turbulence of war, inner purity and disciplined restraint can still govern a ruler’s conduct. The ‘wonder’ is that a person deemed purified and closely scrutinized does not perform an act associated with defilement or despair (sitting on ashes), implying ethical self-control and dignity under pressure.
Sañjaya reports to the king that the Madra ruler, though observed by a pure-minded king free of taint, did not sit upon the ashes; Sañjaya finds this unexpected and remarkable. The line functions as a narrative aside emphasizing the surprising nature of the Madra ruler’s behavior.