Shloka 12
ते पुनः संन्यवर्तन्त कृत्वा संशप्तकान् मिथ: । परां युद्धे मतिं क्रूरां तव पुत्रस्य शासनात्
te punaḥ saṁnyavartanta kṛtvā saṁśaptakān mithaḥ | parāṁ yuddhe matiṁ krūrāṁ tava putrasya śāsanāt ||
Disse Sañjaya: Então aqueles guerreiros, tendo-se ligado de novo por votos mútuos como os Saṁśaptakas, voltaram mais uma vez. Por ordem de teu filho, firmaram a mente numa resolução cruel para a guerra e retornaram ao campo, embora já tivessem sido rechaçados.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how vows and obedience to authority can intensify violence: under a leader’s command, warriors may harden their resolve into cruelty, raising ethical tension between duty in war and the restraint expected by dharma.
After being checked or driven back, the warriors regroup, renew their mutual vow as the Saṁśaptakas, and return to the fight with an extreme, ruthless determination—explicitly prompted by the command of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Duryodhana).