Shloka 4
शल्यपर्व — चतुर्विंशोऽध्यायः | Śalya Parva, Chapter 24: Disruption of Kaurava Formations and the Elephant Encirclement
असौ तिष्ठति कौरव्यो रणमध्ये महाबल: । यत्रैतत् सुमहच्छत्र॑ पूर्णचन्द्रसमप्रभम्
asau tiṣṭhati kauravyo raṇamadhye mahābalaḥ | yatraitat sumahac chatraṁ pūrṇacandrasamaprabham ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Di sanalah Kaurava yang perkasa itu berdiri di tengah-tengah medan perang—di tempat payung diraja yang amat besar itu bersinar dengan cahaya laksana bulan purnama.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how outward signs of sovereignty and command (the shining royal parasol) mark a leader even amid chaos; it implicitly contrasts the glamour of power with the stark reality of war, inviting reflection on the ethical weight borne by those who stand at the center of conflict.
Sañjaya is describing to the listener a powerful Kaurava positioned in the thick of battle, identifying his location by the conspicuous, moon-bright royal parasol above him—an emblem that makes the commander visible on the field.