Shloka 38
Chapter 49: Sañjaya’s Enumeration of the Pāṇḍava Coalition (पाण्डवसैन्यसमागम-वर्णनम्)
जिसे स्थूणाकर्ण यक्षने पुरुष बना दिया था, भीष्मके वधकी इच्छा रखनेवाले उस भयंकर एवं महाधनुर्धर शिखण्डीके बलपर पाण्डव आपसे युद्ध करनेको तैयार हैं ।। महेष्वासा राजपुत्रा भ्रातर: पञ्च केकया: । आमुक्तकवचा: शूरास्तैश्व वस्ते5 भ्ययुज्जत,केकयदेशके पाँच राजकुमार जो परस्पर भाई हैं, सदा कवच बाँधे युद्धके लिये उद्यत रहते हैं। वे महान् धनुर्धर शूरवीर हैं। उनके बलपर पाण्डवोंने आपलोगोंसे युद्धकी तैयारी की है
sañjaya uvāca |
sthūṇākarṇena yakṣeṇa yaḥ puruṣīkṛtaḥ purā |
taṃ bhīṣmavadhepsuṃ ghoraṃ mahādhanurdharaṃ śikhaṇḍinaṃ balam āśritya pāṇḍavā yuddham āyattāḥ ||
maheṣvāsā rājaputrā bhrātaraḥ pañca kekayāḥ |
āmuktakavacāḥ śūrās te ca vo 'bhyudyatāḥ sadā ||
Sañjaya disse: “Apoiando-se na força do terrível Śikhaṇḍin—grande arqueiro, outrora transformado em homem pelo Yakṣa Sthūṇākarṇa e agora decidido a matar Bhīṣma—os Pāṇḍavas se puseram prontos para lutar contra vós. E os cinco príncipes de Kekaya, irmãos entre si, heróis e poderosos arqueiros, sempre de armadura e sempre prontos para a batalha, também se acham preparados diante de vós.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how war is shaped not only by strength but by prior causes—vows, grievances, and past events. Śikhaṇḍin’s transformation and resolve against Bhīṣma show the moral complexity of conflict: personal enmity and destiny become strategic instruments, raising ethical questions about means and ends within kṣatriya-dharma.
Sanjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Pāṇḍavas are ready to fight, relying especially on Śikhaṇḍin—fearsome, a great archer, and determined to bring about Bhīṣma’s fall. He also notes the presence of the five Kekaya princes, always armored and battle-ready, supporting the Pāṇḍava side.