Shloka 48
Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)
हतो$सि पापेत्यभिगर्जमानो रुद्रोडन्धकायान्तकरं यथेषुम् प्रसार्य बाहुं सुदृढं सुपार्णि क्रोधेन नृत्यन्निव धर्मराज:,जैसे रुद्रने अन्धकासुरपर प्राणान्तकारी बाण छोड़ा था, उसी प्रकार क्रोधसे नृत्य-सा करते हुए धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरने सुन्दर हाथवाली अपनी सुदृढ़ बाँह फैलाकर वह शक्ति शल्यपर चला दी और गरजते हुए कहा--'ओ पापी! तू मारा गया”
hato'si pāpety abhigarjamāno rudro 'ndhakāyāntakaraṃ yatheṣum | prasārya bāhuṃ sudṛḍhaṃ suparṇi krodhena nṛtyann iva dharmarājaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Roaring, “You are slain, O sinner!”, Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira—his arm outstretched, firm and well-aimed—hurled his spear at Śalya, just as Rudra once loosed a life-ending arrow at Andhaka. In his wrath he seemed to dance, embodying the grim moral tension of war where righteous duty is carried out through terrible violence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a ruler devoted to dharma may be compelled to act with force in war; the verse highlights the ethical strain of righteous duty—anger arises, yet the action is framed as a necessary execution of kṣatriya responsibility against wrongdoing.
Sañjaya describes Yudhiṣṭhira, shouting “You are slain, O sinner!”, extending his strong arm and hurling his weapon at Śalya; the act is compared to Rudra’s deadly shot against the demon Andhaka, emphasizing the ferocity and decisiveness of the moment.