Shloka 18
भीमसेनस्य गदायुद्ध-प्रभावः
The Battlefield Impact of Bhīmasena’s Mace Combat
ततः सरथनागाश्चा भीष्मद्रोणपुरोगमा: । अभ्यवर्तन्त राजान: सहिता: सव्यसाचिनम्,यह देख भीष्म और द्रोण आदि सभी कौरव-पक्षीय नरेश रथ, हाथी और घोड़ोंकी सेनासहित एक साथ अर्जुनपर चढ़ आये
tataḥ sa-ratha-nāgāś ca bhīṣma-droṇa-purogamāḥ | abhyavartanta rājānaḥ sahitāḥ savyasācinam ||
Sañjaya said: Then the kings of the Kaurava side—led in the forefront by Bhīṣma and Droṇa—advanced together against Arjuna, supported by forces of chariots, elephants, and horses.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how allegiance and martial duty (kṣatriya-dharma) can unite many leaders into a single, coordinated action, even against a famed individual. Ethically, it frames war as a realm where collective obligation and command structure propel action, intensifying the responsibility borne by leaders like Bhīṣma and Droṇa.
Sañjaya reports that the Kaurava-aligned kings, with chariot, elephant, and horse contingents, surge forward together to attack Arjuna, with Bhīṣma and Droṇa at the head of the advance.