Shloka 9
रणभूमिवर्णनम् — Devāsuropama-yuddha and the ‘River’ Metaphor of the Battlefield
यो होक: पाण्डवैर्युध्येद् यो वा युध्यन्तमुत्सूजेत् । स पज्चभिर्भवेद् युक्त: पातकैश्नोपपातकै:,“हमलोगोंमेंसे कोई एक योद्धा अकेला रहकर किसी तरह भी पाण्डवोंके साथ युद्ध न करे। जो अकेला ही पाण्डवोंके साथ युद्ध करेगा अथवा जो पाण्डवोंके साथ जूझते हुए वीरको अकेला छोड़ देगा, वह पाँच पातकों और उपपातकोंसे युक्त होगा
yo hokaḥ pāṇḍavair yudhyed yo vā yudhyantam utsṛjet | sa pañcabhir bhaved yuktaḥ pātakaiś copapātakaiḥ ||
三阇耶说道：“我军之中，凡独自与般度交战者，或弃离已在战斗中的战士者，必将受污——背负五大重罪及诸轻罪之责。因此此战不可求孤身之斗，亦不可在鏖战之际舍弃同袍。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames two battlefield failures as moral transgressions: reckless solitary engagement against the Pāṇḍavas and, more seriously, deserting an ally already fighting. It emphasizes solidarity, disciplined conduct, and responsibility to comrades as part of righteous war-behavior.
In the Shalya Parva war setting, Sañjaya reports a stern directive meant to regulate the Kaurava side’s conduct: no warrior should fight the Pāṇḍavas alone, and no one should abandon a comrade mid-combat—both acts are declared sinful, carrying heavy moral blame.