Shloka 19
यथा सिंहस्य नदतः स्वनं श्रुत्वेतरे मृगा: । त्रसेयुनिनिदं श्रुत्वा तथासीदत तद्धलम्,जैसे गर्जते हुए सिंहकी आवाज सुनकर दूसरे वन्य पशु भयभीत हो जाते हैं, उसी प्रकार उन दोनोंका शंखनाद सुनकर कौरवसेनाका उत्साह शिथिल पड़ गया--वह खिन्न-सी हो गयी
yathā siṁhasya nadataḥ svanaṁ śrutvetare mṛgāḥ | traseyur ninidaṁ śrutvā tathāsīdat tad balam ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana nói: Như muôn thú trong rừng run sợ khi nghe tiếng sư tử gầm, cũng vậy, vừa nghe tiếng tù và rền vang ấy, khí thế của quân Kaurava liền chùng xuống, lòng tin sa vào u ám.
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that inner strength and moral confidence manifest as psychological power: a single commanding signal can unsettle an opposing force. In dharmic literature, fear often arises from inner doubt, while steadiness comes from conviction and purpose.
As the armies prepare for Kurukṣetra, a powerful sound—understood in context as the Pandava side’s conch-blast—reverberates. Hearing it, the Kaurava host loses enthusiasm and becomes dispirited, likened to forest beasts trembling at a lion’s roar.