Shloka 36

Devanagari script

ततः सर्वे रथास्तूर्ण पाञज्चाल्या जयगृद्धिन: । सात्वताभिस्‌ते द्रोणे धृष्टद्युम्नमवाक्षिपन्‌,जब द्रोणाचार्य सात्यकिके साथ उलझ गये, तब विजयाभिलाषी समस्त पांचाल रथी तुरंत ही धृष्टद्युम्मको अपने रथपर बिठाकर दूर हटा ले गये

Transliteration

tataḥ sarve rathās tūrṇaṃ pāñcālyā jayagṛddhinaḥ | sātvatebhis te droṇe dhṛṣṭadyumnam avākṣipan ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Da griffen alle Wagenkämpfer der Pāñcālas, siegessüchtig, unverzüglich ein. Als Droṇa im Kampf mit dem Sātvata (Sātyaki) verstrickt war, hoben sie Dhṛṣṭadyumna auf den Wagen und brachten ihn aus dem gefährlichen Gedränge fort—ein Akt treuer Bewahrung mitten in der unerbittlichen Kriegsethik.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

सर्वेall

रथाःchariots / chariot-warriors

तूर्णम्quickly, at once

पाञ्चाल्याःthe Panchalas

जयगृद्धिनःeager for victory

सात्वताभिःby/with the Satvatas (Vrishnis)

तेthey

द्रोणेwhen/while (engaged) with Drona; in Drona (context)

धृष्टद्युम्नम्Dhrishtadyumna

अवाक्षिपन्they removed / carried off / drew away

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāñcālas

Droṇa

Sātvata (Sātyaki)

Dhṛṣṭadyumna

chariots

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, duty includes safeguarding one’s commander and comrades. The Pāñcālas prioritize collective responsibility—extracting Dhṛṣṭadyumna from immediate danger—showing that victory-seeking must still operate through loyalty, coordination, and protection of key leaders.

What is happening in the narrative?

As Droṇa is engaged with the Sātvata hero Sātyaki, the Pāñcāla chariot-fighters quickly lift Dhṛṣṭadyumna onto a chariot and withdraw him from the dangerous clash, preventing him from being overwhelmed while the battle around Droṇa intensifies.