Saubhadra under Concentrated Assault; Pārṣata’s Intervention and Escalation
धृष्टद्युम्नस्ततो द्रोणं नवत्या निशितै: शरै: । विव्याध प्रहसन् वीरस्तिष्ठ तिछेति चाब्रवीत्,तब धृष्टद्युम्नने हँसकर नब्बे पैने बाणोंसे द्रोणाचार्यको घायल कर दिया और कहा --'खड़े रहो, खड़े रहो”
dhṛṣṭadyumnas tato droṇaṃ navatyā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ | vivyādha prahasan vīras tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt ||
Sanjaya said: Then Dhrishtadyumna, laughing in the midst of battle, struck Droṇa with ninety sharp arrows. The valiant warrior called out, “Stand firm—stand firm!”—a taunt that underscores the fierce, personal intensity of the duel.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the kṣatriya battlefield ethos: courage, steadfastness, and direct confrontation. Even taunting speech (“Stand firm!”) functions as a test of resolve, showing how personal valor and psychological pressure operate within the broader framework of dharma-bound warfare.
Sanjaya describes Dhrishtadyumna attacking Droṇa with ninety sharp arrows. While wounding him, Dhrishtadyumna laughs and challenges Droṇa to stand his ground, intensifying their duel amid the Kurukṣetra battle.