Shloka 22
Baka Dālbhya at Avakīrṇa-tīrtha: Rāṣṭra-kṣaya and Release through Prasāda (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 40)
ते तु तद्बलमासाद्य बभज्जुः सर्वतोदिशम् । तच्छुत्वा दिद्वुतं सैन्यं विश्वामित्रस्तु गाधिज:
te tu tadbalam āsādya babhajjuḥ sarvato diśam | tac chrutvā didrutaṃ sainyaṃ viśvāmitras tu gādhijaḥ ||
Namun mereka, setelah bertembung dengan kekuatan itu, memecahkannya ke segala arah. Mendengar bahawa bala tentera telah tiba-tiba lari bertempiaran dalam kekalutan, Viśvāmitra—putera Gādhi—(bertindak sewajarnya). Petikan ini menegaskan bahawa apabila disiplin bersama runtuh di medan perang, kekuatan segera berubah menjadi kucar-kacir; maka beratlah tanggungjawab etika kepimpinan dan keteguhan hati saat krisis.
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Military power depends on cohesion and morale; when discipline breaks, even a strong force collapses. The verse implicitly stresses the ethical responsibility of leaders to maintain steadiness and order, since panic spreads faster than courage.
A force is met and then broken apart on all sides, causing the army to scatter in sudden flight. On hearing of this rout, Viśvāmitra (identified by his patronymic ‘son of Gādhi’) is introduced as reacting to the news, marking a narrative shift to his role.