Shloka 53
Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)
बाहू प्रसार्याभिमुखो धर्मराजस्य मद्रराट् । ततो निपतितो भूमाविन्द्रध्वज इवोच्छित:,मद्रराज शल्य धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरके सामने ही अपनी दोनों भुजाओंको फैलाकर ऊँचे इन्द्रध्वजके समान धराशायी हो गये
bāhū prasāryābhimukho dharmarājasya madrarāṭ | tato nipatito bhūmāv indradhvaja ivocchritaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Berhadapan dengan Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira, raja Madra mengembangkan kedua-dua lengannya; lalu rebah ke bumi, bagaikan panji Indra yang tinggi menjulang runtuh menyembah tanah.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses the simile of a towering Indra-banner collapsing to highlight how even great power and royal stature can fall abruptly in the face of dharma’s unfolding and the irreversible consequences of war.
Śalya, the king of Madra, faces Yudhiṣṭhira and, with arms outstretched, collapses to the ground—signaling his defeat and fall at this point in the battle narrative as reported by Sañjaya.