Shloka 38
शल्यस्य सेनापत्याभ्युपगमः | Śalya’s Acceptance of Command
पश्यन्ति नूनं पितर: पूजितान् सुरसंसदि । अप्सरोभि: परिवृतान् मोदमानांस्त्रिविष्टपे
paśyanti nūnaṃ pitaraḥ pūjitān surasaṃsadi | apsarobhiḥ parivṛtān modamānāṃs triviṣṭape ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Sesungguhnya, para Leluhur kini memandang mereka—dimuliakan dalam sidang para dewa—dikelilingi Apsara dan bersukaria di Triviṣṭapa (syurga).”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames death in righteous battle as leading to honour in the divine realm: the fallen are envisioned as received with reverence among the gods, suggesting that courage and duty (especially kṣatriya-dharma) bear transcendent moral consequence.
Sañjaya describes the posthumous state of the warriors: the Pitṛs are said to behold them honoured in the gods’ assembly, surrounded by Apsarās, rejoicing in heaven—an image that consoles and elevates the meaning of the battlefield deaths.