Shloka 12
Adhyāya 78 — Bhīṣma’s Advance, Duryodhana’s Rally, and Concurrent Duels (भीष्मस्याभ्युद्यमः, दुर्योधनस्योत्साहवचनम्, विविधयुद्धवर्णनम्)
शिखण्डी तु महेष्वास: सोमकै: संवृतो बली । इरावांश्व॒ ततः पुच्छे मकरस्य व्यवस्थितौ,सोमकोंसे घिरा हुआ महाधनुर्धर शिखण्डी और बलवान इरावान्--ये दोनों उस मकरव्यूहके पुच्छ-भागमें खड़े थे
śikhaṇḍī tu maheṣvāsaḥ somakaiḥ saṃvṛto balī | irāvāṃś ca tataḥ pucche makarasya vyavasthitau ||
Sañjaya said: The great archer Śikhaṇḍī, surrounded by the Somakas, and the mighty Irāvān—these two were stationed at the rear, the tail-end, of the Makara battle-formation.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even within warfare, dharma expresses itself as disciplined duty: guarding the rear of a formation is as vital as leading the front, because protecting the army’s integrity and preventing collapse are ethical responsibilities of commanders and warriors.
Sañjaya describes the deployment within the Makara-vyūha: Śikhaṇḍī, backed by the Somakas, and the strong Irāvān are assigned to hold the tail/rear segment of the formation, indicating a planned defensive-posting within the larger battle array.