Shloka 1
Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्याभारत शल्यपर्वमें संकुलयुद्धाविषयक बाईसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ ॥/ २२ ॥। पम्प बछ। सं: त्रयोविशो<् ध्याय: कौरवपक्षके सात सौ रथियोंका वध
sañjaya uvāca | vartamāne tadā yuddhe ghorarūpe bhayānake | abhajyata balaṃ tatra tava putrasya pāṇḍavaiḥ ||
Sanjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, ketika pertempuran yang dahsyat dan menggerunkan itu sedang berlangsung, para Pāṇḍava di sana telah menghancurkan kekuatan bala tentera puteramu—seakan mencabut akar tapak berdiri dan keteguhan hati mereka dalam gelanggang perang.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how, in a war that has turned terrifying and unrestrained, power and morale can collapse suddenly; it implicitly points to the ethical and karmic weight of choices that lead to such a fearful conflict and its inevitable consequences.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that as the dreadful battle intensifies, the Pandavas gain the upper hand and break the strength of Duryodhana’s (Kaurava) forces, signaling a decisive shift in momentum.