Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
अश्वारोहाश्व पाण्डूनामब्रुवन् रुधिरोक्षिता:
aśvārohāś ca pāṇḍūnām abruvan rudhirokṣitāḥ
Sañjaya berkata: Para penunggang kuda Pāṇḍava, yang terpercik darah, bersuara—melaporkan hakikat ngeri di medan perang dan menyampaikan khabar yang mendesak di tengah kekacauan perang.
संजय उवाच
The verse underscores the immediacy and moral weight of wartime communication: those directly engaged in violence must still speak truthfully and urgently, bearing witness to consequences and enabling responsible action amid disorder.
Sañjaya reports that the Pāṇḍava cavalry, visibly marked by battle (blood-spattered), are speaking—likely delivering news or warnings from the front, reflecting the intensity and confusion of the ongoing conflict in the Śalya Parva.