Shloka 8
Adhyāya 107 — बहुयुद्धप्रकरणम्
Multiple Defensive Engagements to Protect Bhīṣma
प्रजानाथ! दूसरे लोग उस समय बड़ी उतावलीके साथ अपने हाथी, घोड़े एवं रथको साथ ले रणभूमिसे भाग निकले। भारत! उस महायुद्धमें पैदल सिपाही भी अपने अस्त्र- शस्त्रोंकी फेंककर उनकी कोई अपेक्षा न रखकर जिधरसे राह मिली, उधरसे ही भागने लगे ।।
sañjaya uvāca | prajānātha! dvitīye loke tasmin samaye mahāutāvalyā hastinaḥ aśvān rathāṃś ca gṛhītvā raṇabhūmeḥ palāyitāḥ | bhārata! tasmin mahāyuddhe padātayaḥ api svāni astrāṇi śastrāṇi ca tyaktvā, teṣāṃ nirapekṣā bhūtvā, yato mārgaḥ prāptaḥ tato eva palāyanta | vāryamāṇāḥ bahuśastraiḥ trigartena suśarmaṇā tathā anyaiḥ pārthivaśreṣṭhaiḥ na vyatiṣṭhanta saṃyuge ||
Sañjaya disse: «Ó senhor dos homens! Então muitos outros, tomados por uma pressa frenética, fugiram do campo de batalha levando consigo seus elefantes, cavalos e carros. Ó Bhārata, naquela grande guerra até os soldados de infantaria, lançando fora as armas e já não se importando com elas, corriam por qualquer caminho que encontrassem. Embora Suśarman, rei dos Trigartas, armado de muitas maneiras, e outros reis eminentes os contivessem repetidas vezes, aquelas tropas não puderam manter-se firmes no combate.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear can dissolve discipline and duty: even well-equipped forces may collapse when morale breaks. It implicitly contrasts kṣatriya-dharma (steadfastness in battle) with panic-driven flight, showing that leadership efforts alone cannot restore courage once collective resolve is lost.
Sanjaya reports to the king that many troops are fleeing the battlefield with their mounts and vehicles; even infantry throw away their weapons and run wherever they can. Suśarman of the Trigartas and other leading kings try repeatedly to stop them, but the soldiers cannot be made to stand and fight.