Shloka 406
त्रिपुरदाह-इतिहासः
Tripura-destruction exemplum and counsel to Śalya
अभ्ययात् पाण्डवानीकं निध्नज्शत्रुगणान् बहून् । तत्पश्चात् सुतसोम श्रुतकीर्तिके विशाल रथपर चढ़ गया। उधर शकुनि भी दूसरा अत्यन्त दुर्जय एवं भयंकर धनुष लेकर बहुत-से शत्रुओंका संहार करता हुआ पाण्डव- सेनाकी ओर चल दिया
sañjaya uvāca | abhyayāt pāṇḍavānīkaṃ nighnan śatrugaṇān bahūn | tatpaścāt sutasomaḥ śrutakīrtikaś ca viśālarathaparivṛtaḥ samāruroha | udharaḥ śakuniḥ api dvitīyam atyantadurjayaṃ bhayaṅkaraṃ dhanuḥ gṛhītvā bahuśaḥ śatrūn saṃharan pāṇḍavasenāṃ prati calitaḥ |
三阇耶说：他向般度族大军推进，击倒了许多敌军的队伍。随后，苏陀娑摩与施鲁多吉尔提——在众多强大战车武士的簇拥下——登上战车，投入战斗。另一边，沙昆尼也取起第二张弓，那弓极难抵御、令人胆寒；他一面屠戮众多敌人，一面朝般度军阵逼近。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the inexorable drive of warriors in battle—valor and determination propel action, yet the narrative implicitly reminds the listener of the grave moral burden of mass killing, a recurring Mahabharata tension between kshatriya duty and the human cost of war.
Sanjaya describes a surge in the fighting: a warrior advances into the Pandava host slaying many; then Sutasoma and Shrutakirti enter the fray with chariot support; simultaneously Shakuni, taking up another formidable bow, moves against the Pandava forces while continuing to kill.