Shloka 31
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ६२: वासुदेवमहात्म्यप्रशंसा (देव–ब्रह्मसंवादः)
तान् निवृत्तान् समीक्ष्यैव ततो<न्येडपीतरे जना: । अन्योन्यस्पर्थया राजल्लँज्जया चावतस्थिरे,राजन! उन सबको लौटते देख दूसरे लोग भी एक-दूसरेकी स्पर्धा तथा लज्जाके कारण ठहर गये
tān nivṛttān samīkṣyaiva tato 'nye 'pi itare janāḥ | anyonya-spardhayā rājan lajjayā cāvatasthire ||
سنجے نے کہا—اے راجن! اُنہیں پلٹتے دیکھ کر دوسرے لوگ بھی باہمی رقابت اور شرم کے باعث وہیں ٹھہر گئے۔
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how social emotions—rivalry and shame—can restrain or redirect behavior. Even in war, people are governed not only by strategy or fear but by honor-culture pressures: the desire not to appear inferior and the reluctance to act disgracefully.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that when some fighters withdrew, others, seeing this, also stopped advancing. They hesitated and remained standing, checked by mutual competition and embarrassment.