Shloka 12
ततो यथादेशमुपेत्य तस्थु: पाज्चालमुख्या: सह चेदिमुख्यै: । ततः समादेशसमाहतानि भेरीसहस्राणि विनेदुराजी,तदनन्तर सेनापतिकी आज्ञाके अनुसार यथोचित स्थानपर पहुँचकर पांचाल और चेदिदेशके प्रमुख वीर खड़े हुए। फिर उस युद्धस्थलमें प्रधानके आदेशानुसार सहस्रों रणभेरियाँ एक साथ बज उठीं ततत्त्रिगर्ता राजेन्द्र मद्राश्न सह केकयै: । पजञ्चविंशतिसाहस्रास्तव पुत्रेण चोदिता: राजेन्द्र! तब आपके पुत्र दुर्योधनसे प्रेरित होकर त्रिगर्तों तथा केकयोंसहित मद्रदेशके पचीस हजार योद्धाओंने शत्रुवधकी इच्छा रखनेवाले पुत्रसहित किरीटधारी अर्जुनको घेर लिया। वे सब-के-सब थधर्नुर्वेदके प्रधान ज्ञाता और युद्धस्थलमें शत्रुओंके लिये अजेय थे
tato yathādeśam upetya tasthuḥ pāñcālamukhyāḥ saha cedimukhyaiḥ | tataḥ samādeśasamāhatāni bherīsahasrāṇi vinedur ājau ||
Sañjaya said: Then, having moved to their assigned positions as commanded, the foremost warriors of the Pāñcālas stood firm together with the leading heroes of Cedi. Thereupon, in the battlefield, thousands of war-drums—struck in unison at the commander’s signal—resounded at once, proclaiming the ordered onset of war and the collective resolve to fight.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined adherence to command and coordinated action in a righteous war context: warriors take their proper stations and the unified drumbeat signals an ordered, collective commitment rather than chaotic violence.
Sañjaya reports that the leading Pāñcāla and Cedi fighters move to their assigned places; then, at the commander’s coordinated signal, thousands of war-drums are struck together, announcing the commencement and organization of battle.