Shloka 51
Kṛṣṇa-vīrya-kathana
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s appraisal of Vāsudeva’s deeds
द्रौपदेया नरव्याप्रा: समुद्रमिव सिन्धव: । यद् द्रोणमाद्रवन् संख्ये के शूरास्तान् न््यवारयन्,पुरुषसिंह द्रौपदीकुमार समुद्रकी ओर जानेवाली नदियोंकी भाँति जब द्रोणाचार्यपर धावा कर रहे थे, उस समय युद्धमें किन शूरवीरोंने उनको रोका था?
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
draupadeyā naravyāprāḥ samudram iva sindhavaḥ |
yad droṇam ādravan saṅkhye ke śūrās tān nyavārayan ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Like rivers rushing toward the ocean, the sons of Draupadī—intent on manly combat—charged at Droṇa in the thick of battle. Then who were the heroes that checked and held them back on the battlefield?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dynamics of kṣatriya warfare: courageous initiative meets organized resistance. Ethically, it frames battle as a field where resolve and restraint both operate—valor is not merely charging forward, but also the capacity of opposing heroes to protect their commander and maintain formation.
Vaiśampāyana describes the Draupadeyas rushing to attack Droṇa with the force of rivers flowing to the sea, and then poses a question: which warriors on the battlefield intervened to stop or check their advance.