शल्यपर्व — चतुर्विंशोऽध्यायः | Śalya Parva, Chapter 24: Disruption of Kaurava Formations and the Elephant Encirclement
एवमुक्तस्तु तैयोंथै: शकुनि: सौबलस्तदा,नरेश्वर! तब उन योद्धाओंके ऐसा कहनेपर सुबलपुत्र शकुनि वहीं गया, जहाँ आपका पुत्र दुर्योधन समरांगणमें विचित्र युद्ध करनेवाले वीरोंद्वारा सब ओरसे घिरा हुआ खड़ा था
evam uktas tu tair yodhaiḥ śakuniḥ saubalastadā | nareśvara! tadā un yoddhāoṃ ke evaṃ kahane par subalaputraḥ śakuniḥ tatraiva gataḥ yatra tava putro duryodhanaḥ samara-aṅgaṇe vicitra-yuddha-kāribhir vīrair sarvataḥ parivṛtaḥ tiṣṭhati sma ||
Disse Sañjaya: Assim interpelado por aqueles guerreiros, Śakuni, filho de Subala, foi então—ó rei—ao próprio lugar onde teu filho Duryodhana se mantinha no campo de batalha, cercado por todos os lados por heróis hábeis em modos variados e terríveis de combate.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the moral pressure-cooker of war: leaders and their advisers must face the outcomes of their choices. Even powerful figures can become isolated and encircled—symbolically by consequences and literally by enemies—when conflict escalates beyond control.
After being spoken to by certain warriors, Śakuni proceeds to where Duryodhana is positioned in the battle. Duryodhana is described as standing amid the fight, surrounded on all sides by formidable heroes skilled in diverse combat.