Shloka 5
अध्याय ८० — मध्यंदिन-रणवृत्तान्तः
Yudhiṣṭhira–Śrutāyu encounter; Cekitāna–Gautama clash; Abhimanyu pressure; Arjuna’s redeployment
तस्माद् राजन् स्थिरो भूत्वा प्राप्येदं व्यसनं महत् | शृणु युद्ध यथावृत्तं शंसतो मे नराधिप
tasmād rājan sthiro bhūtvā prāpyedaṁ vyasanaṁ mahat | śṛṇu yuddha yathāvṛttaṁ śaṁsato me narādhipa ||
Vì thế, tâu Đại vương, xin ngài vững lòng—dẫu đã gặp tai ương lớn lao này—mà lắng nghe, bậc chúa tể loài người, khi tôi thuật lại đúng như thật diễn biến của trận chiến.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid overwhelming loss, a ruler should cultivate steadiness of mind and face reality as it is. Sañjaya frames the coming account as truthful narration (yathāvṛttam), implying that ethical discernment begins with hearing events clearly rather than being swept away by grief.
Sañjaya addresses Dhṛtarāṣṭra, urging him to remain composed despite the great calamity, and invites him to listen as Sañjaya recounts the battle exactly as it occurred.