Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 1
Śalya-parva Adhyāya 34: Balarāma’s Withdrawal, Sarasvatī Pilgrimage Logistics, and Prabhāsa as Soma’s Renewal Tīrtha
भीकम (2 अमान चतुस्त्रिंशो 5 ध्याय: बलरामजीका आगमन और स्वागत तथा भीमसेन और दुर्योधनके युद्धका आरम्भ संजय उवाच तस्मिन् युद्धे महाराज सुसंवृत्ते सुदारुणे । उपविष्टेषु सर्वेषु पाण्डवेषु महात्मसु
sañjaya uvāca | tasmin yuddhe mahārāja susaṃvṛtte sudāruṇe | upaviṣṭeṣu sarveṣu pāṇḍaveṣu mahātmasu ||
三阇耶说道：“大王啊，当那场战斗——已然全面发动，且凶险至极——即将开端之时，诸位大心的般度五子皆已就座以观其战；此刻，命运之决斗的舞台已然备就，它将于兵戈之中考验意志、纪律，以及达摩的边界。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames war as a morally weighty arena: even before weapons clash, the narrative stresses gravity (sudāruṇa) and mindful witnessing by the 'mahātman' Pāṇḍavas, implying that action in conflict must be measured against dharma and responsibility.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the terrible battle is about to begin, and the Pāṇḍavas have seated themselves to observe—setting the stage for the decisive confrontation described in this chapter’s context.