Shloka 50
तामापतन्तीं सहसा हेमपट्टवि भूषिताम् । शरै: पञ्चाशता द्रोणो वारयामास संयुगे,उस स्वर्णपत्रविभूषित गदाको सहसा अपनी ओर आती देख द्रोणाचार्यने युद्धस्थलमें पचासों बाण मारकर उसे दूर गिरा दिया
sañjaya uvāca |
tām āpatantīṃ sahasā hemapaṭṭavibhūṣitām |
śaraiḥ pañcāśatā droṇo vārayāmāsa saṃyuge ||
Sanjaya said: Seeing her suddenly rushing toward him, adorned with golden bands and ornaments, Drona checked her advance in the thick of battle, striking her with fifty arrows and forcing her back. The scene underscores the battlefield ethic of immediate response and restraint-through-force: a warrior’s duty is to neutralize an oncoming threat swiftly, even when the opponent is splendidly arrayed, without being swayed by appearance.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the ethics of war (kṣatriya-dharma), a warrior must respond promptly to an imminent attack and restrain danger decisively; outward splendor or ornamentation should not cloud judgment about duty and threat.
Sanjaya describes a combat moment where an ornamented opponent charges suddenly; Drona halts the charge in battle by striking with fifty arrows, forcing the attacker to withdraw or fall back.