Shloka 12
पुत्रैस्तव दुराधर्षो रक्षित: सुमहाबलै: । (प्रययौ पाण्डवानीकं भीष्म: शान्तनुनन्दन: ।) ततो द्रोणो महेष्वास: पुत्रश्चास्य महाबल:,दुर्धर्ष वीर शान्तनुनन्दन भीष्म आपके महाबली पुत्रोंसे सुरक्षित हो पाण्डवोंकी सेनाकी ओर बढ़े। उनके पीछे महाधनुर्धर द्रोणाचार्य और महाबली अश्वत्थामा चले
sañjaya uvāca | putrais tava durādharṣo rakṣitaḥ sumahābalaiḥ | (prayayau pāṇḍavānīkaṃ bhīṣmaḥ śāntanunandanaḥ |) tato droṇo maheṣvāsaḥ putraś cāsya mahābalaḥ |
Sañjaya said: Guarded by your sons, all of them exceedingly mighty and hard to assail, Bhīṣma—the son of Śāntanu—advanced toward the Pāṇḍava host. After him followed Droṇa, the great archer, and his son Aśvatthāmā, a warrior of immense strength.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power and protection through lineage and military strength can propel leaders into action, but the verse implicitly highlights the ethical gravity of command: great warriors and teachers (Bhīṣma, Droṇa) move forward in war, showing how duty and allegiance can drive action even when the conflict is morally fraught.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīṣma, protected by Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s mighty sons, advances toward the Pāṇḍava army. Immediately behind him march Droṇa and Droṇa’s powerful son Aśvatthāmā, indicating the forward movement of key Kaurava commanders into the main engagement.