Shloka 25
द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping
निर्दहन्तमनीकानि तानि तानि पुन: पुनः । द्रोणं मत्स्यादवरज: शतानीको<भ्यवर्तत,उन समस्त सैनिकोंको बार-बार बाणोंकी आगसे दग्ध करते देख विराटके छोटे भाई शतानीक द्रोणाचार्यपर चढ़ आये
nirdahantam anīkāni tāni tāni punaḥ punaḥ | droṇaṃ matsyād-avarajaḥ śatānīko 'bhyavartata ||
قال سانجيا: ولمّا رأى شاتانيكا—أخو فيرَاطا الأصغر، من سلالة الماتسيا—درونا يُحرق تلك الصفوف مرارًا بنار سهامه، اندفع مهاجمًا دروناآتشاريّا.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the warrior-ethic in epic warfare: when a leader’s forces are being annihilated, a kṣatriya is compelled by honor and protective duty to confront the source of devastation, even if that opponent is extraordinarily powerful. It also reflects how skill and authority in war (Droṇa’s mastery) provoke counter-challenges driven by loyalty and responsibility.
Droṇa is repeatedly destroying troop-formations with volleys of arrows likened to fire. Witnessing this, Śatānīka—Virāṭa’s younger brother from the Matsya side—charges forward to engage Droṇa directly, attempting to check the slaughter by attacking the commander himself.