Shloka 123
शल्यवधे कौरवसेनाभङ्गः, भीमस्य गदायुद्धं, दुर्योधनस्य समाह्वानम्
Rout after Śalya’s fall; Bhīma’s mace engagement; Duryodhana’s rally
भ्रातरो वास्य ते शूरा दृश्यने नेह केन च । वे बहुसंख्यक महामनस्वी मद्रमहारथी विशाल पाण्डव-सेनाको मथकर जोर-जोरसे पुकार-पुकारकर कहने लगे--“कहाँ है वह राजा युधिष्ठिर? अथवा उसके वे शूरवीर भाई? वे सब यहाँ दिखायी क्यों नहीं देते?
sañjaya uvāca | bhrātaro vāsyate śūrā dṛśyante neha kena ca | te bahusaṅkhyakā mahāmanasvī madrāmahārathī viśālāṃ pāṇḍava-senāṃ mathitvā jora-jorena pukāra-pukārakaraṃ vadanti sma—“kva sa rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ? athavā tasya te śūrā bhrātaraḥ? te sarve ’tra kuto na dṛśyante?” |
Sinabi ni Sañjaya: “Hindi man lamang nakikita rito ang iyong mga kapatid na bayani.” Matapos niyang haluin at lusubin ang napakalawak na hukbo ng Pāṇḍava, ang dakilang mandirigmang karwahe ng Madra, na marangal ang loob at napaliligiran ng marami, ay paulit-ulit na sumigaw nang buong lakas: “Nasaan si Haring Yudhiṣṭhira? At nasaan ang kanyang matatapang na kapatid? Bakit hindi sila nakikita rito?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic where morale and perception matter: a leader’s visibility and the presence of key warriors sustain an army’s confidence. It also shows how verbal challenge functions as psychological warfare, testing resolve and provoking response within the framework of kṣatriya-dharma.
Sañjaya reports that after the Madra great chariot-warrior (Śalya) has pressed hard into the Pāṇḍava forces, he loudly calls out, demanding to know where Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers are, taunting that they are not to be seen on the field.