Shloka 40
Yuddha-yajña-vyākhyāna (The Battle as Sacrifice): Ambarīṣa–Indra Saṃvāda
सास्य वेदिस्तदा यज्ञै्नित्यं वेदास्त्रयो5ग्नय: । जब अपनी सेना तथा शत्रुसेना एक-दूसरेके सामने व्यूह बनाकर उपस्थित होती है
sāsya vedis tadā yajnaiḥ nityaṃ vedās trayo 'gnayaḥ | yastu yodhaḥ parāvṛttaḥ saṃtrasto hanyate paraiḥ ||
安婆梨沙说道：“当我军与敌军列阵相对之时，对那位战士而言，若其正前方只余无人之空旷天际，则那片空旷本身便是他‘战争之祭’的祭坛（vedi）。在那里，仿佛祭祀恒常进行，三部吠陀与三种圣火也不断被安立。唯有那因恐惧而转身退却的战士，必为敌所击杀。”
अम्बरीष उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames righteous battle (for a kṣatriya) as a solemn sacrifice: the warrior’s forward-facing space is his altar, and steadfastness is demanded. Retreat born of fear is condemned, implying that courage and duty sustain dharma, while panic and turning back lead to ruin.
Ambarīṣa describes the moment when armies stand in formation facing each other. He uses yajña imagery—altar, Vedas, and fires—to sacralize the warrior’s stance at the front, then contrasts it with the fate of a frightened fighter who turns back and is killed by the enemy.