Shloka 30
Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
गान्धारराजस्तु पुनर्वाक्यमाह ततो बली । निवर्तध्वमधर्मज्ञा युध्यध्वं कि सृतेन व:,तब बलवान गान्धारराज शकुनिने पुनः इस प्रकार कहा--“अपने धर्मको न जाननेवाले पापियो! इस तरह तुम्हारे भागनेसे क्या होगा? लौटो और युद्ध करो”
gāndhārarājas tu punar vākyam āha tato balī | nivartadhvam adharmājñā yudhyadhvaṃ kiṃ sṛtena vaḥ ||
تب طاقتور گاندھار کے راجا نے پھر کہا— “اے وہ لوگو جو دھرم کو نہیں جانتے، اے گنہگارو! یوں بھاگنے سے تمہیں کیا حاصل ہوگا؟ پلٹو اور لڑو؛ اس پسپائی کا تمہیں کیا فائدہ؟”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames retreat from one’s appointed duty in battle as blameworthy: Śakuni rebukes the fleeing warriors as ‘ignorant of dharma’ and urges them to return and fight, highlighting the epic’s recurring tension between righteous duty (dharma) and disgraceful avoidance.
In the Shalya Parva battle setting, Sañjaya reports that Śakuni, king of Gandhāra, addresses his side’s men who are turning back or fleeing, scolding them and commanding them to return to the fight.