Mahabharata 9.8.2 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 8, Shloka 2
रणभूमिवर्णनम् — Devāsuropama-yuddha and the ‘River’ Metaphor of the Battlefield
राज्ञश्न मतमाज्ञाय समनहात सा चमू: । अयोजयमन् रथांस्तूर्ण पर्यधावंस्तथा परे
sañjaya uvāca | rājñaś ca matam ājñāya samanahāt sā camūḥ | ayojayan rathāṁs tūrṇaṁ paryadhāvaṁs tathā pare ||
Sañjaya berkata: Setelah memahami hasrat raja, bala tentera itu segera bersiap. Ada yang pantas memasang kuda pada kereta perang, sementara yang lain berlari ke sana sini, mempercepat segala persiapan untuk pertempuran.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how swiftly collective action follows a ruler’s declared resolve: once the king’s intention is understood, the machinery of war moves forward almost automatically. Ethically, it points to the weight of leadership decisions and the responsibility borne by those who set events in motion.
Sañjaya reports that, upon grasping the king’s plan, the army begins immediate battle preparations: some harness chariots quickly while others run about organizing and readying the forces.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.