Shloka 256
Adhyāya 33: Rauhiṇeya (Balarāma) is welcomed and takes his seat to witness the gadā-engagement
त्वामासाद्य महायुद्धे निहता: पाण्डुनन्दन । “तुमने कितने ही राजाओं
tvām āsādya mahāyuddhe nihatāḥ pāṇḍunandana |
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai putera Pāṇḍu, dalam perang besar ini ramai yang menemui ajal tatkala berhadapan denganmu. Engkau telah menumbangkan banyak raja, putera raja, dan gajah-gajah perang yang gagah; dan para pahlawan dari Kaliṅga, Magadha, kaum Prācyas, Gāndhāra, serta tanah Kuru juga—apabila tampil menentangmu di medan laga—telah masuk ke rahang Maut.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the epic theme that in war, prowess and duty (kṣatriya-dharma) operate under the shadow of Kāla (Time/Death): those who confront a mighty warrior may be carried to death, reminding the listener of the inevitability of mortality and the grave ethical weight of battlefield action.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the scale of slaughter caused by the Pāṇḍava hero addressed as ‘Pāṇḍunandana’: many kings, princes, elephants, and warriors from regions such as Kaliṅga, Magadha, Prācya, Gāndhāra, and Kuru land have been killed after engaging him in the great war.