Shloka 44
धृतराष्ट्र-संजय-संवादः — दुर्योधनस्य ह्रदप्रवेशः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue: Duryodhana’s Entry into the Lake
दुद्रुवुस्तावका: सर्वे भये जाते ससौबला: । उस शक्तिको नष्ट हुई देख और सुबलपुत्र शकुनिको भी भयसे पीड़ित जान आपके सभी सैनिक भयभीत हो शकुनिसहित वहाँसे भाग खड़े हुए || ४३ $ || अथोक्क्रुष्टं महच्चासीत् पाण्डवैर्जितकाशिभि:
dudruvus tāvakāḥ sarve bhaye jāte sa-saubalāḥ | uś-śaktiko naṣṭa huī dekha aura subalaputra śakuniko bhī bhayase pīḍita jāna āpake sabhī sainik bhayabhīta ho śakuni-sahita vahāṁse bhāga khaḍe hue || 43 || athokkr̥ṣṭaṁ mahac cāsīt pāṇḍavair jita-kāśibhiḥ || 44 ||
三阇耶说道：恐惧一起，你方诸军——连同苏婆罗一族——尽皆溃散奔逃。见“沙克提”已被毁，又知苏婆罗之子沙昆尼亦为惧所困，你方士卒惊惶失措，随沙昆尼一同自彼处逃离。随即，战胜迦尸诸军的般度五子一方，爆发出震天的战吼。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear rapidly dissolves cohesion in an army: when key figures fall and confidence collapses, even large forces scatter. Ethically, it underscores the responsibility of leaders and strategists—panic and self-preservation can override duty (kṣatriya-dharma) when morale is broken.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava troops, along with Śakuni’s faction (Saubalas), flee after Śakti is slain and Śakuni is seen to be fearful. Immediately afterward, the Pāṇḍavas raise a great victorious shout, having subdued the Kāśi contingent.