Shloka 15
धृतराष्ट्रस्य क्रतु-प्रवर्तनम् तथा पाण्डवानां निमन्त्रण-प्रतिवचनम्
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Sacrifice Commences and the Pandavas’ Reply to the Invitation
ते वध्यमाना गन्धर्वा: सूतपुत्रेण धीमता
te vadhyamānā gandharvāḥ sūtaputreṇa dhīmatā | āpatad dhi mahāvegaiś citrasenasya sainikaiḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśaṃpāyana: Habang pinabubuwal ng marunong na anak ng kutsero (Karna) ang mga Gandharva, patuloy namang rumaragasa ang napakabilis na mga kawal ni Citrasena. Habang lalo silang sinasalakay, lalo rin silang nagtitipon doon—daan-daan at libu-libo—kaya sa isang iglap ay wari’y napuno, at halos nagmistulang Gandharva ang buong lupain.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how force invites counter-force: as Karna strikes the Gandharvas, their numbers surge, showing the rapid escalation and widening of violence once a conflict is joined.
Karna is attacking the Gandharvas; in response, Citrasena’s swift troops keep arriving in large numbers, quickly filling the battlefield so densely that the earth appears covered with Gandharvas.