Adhyāya 113: Karṇa–Bhīma Śaravarṣa and the Battlefield Aftermath (कर्णभीमशरवर्षः)
यः प्रतीयाद् रणे द्रोणं यावद् गच्छामि पाण्डवम् | “आप पहले अपनी रक्षाकी व्यवस्था कीजिये। मेरे चले जानेपर कौन आपका संरक्षण करनेवाला है, जो रणक्षेत्रमें तबतक द्रोणाचार्यका सामना करता रहे जबतक कि मैं अर्जुनके पास जाता (और लौटता) हूँ
yaḥ pratīyād raṇe droṇaṃ yāvad gacchāmi pāṇḍavam |
Sañjaya said: “Who will stand against Droṇa in the battle for as long as I go to the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna) and return? First, you must arrange for your own protection; once I depart, who will be there to safeguard you?”
संजय उवाच
In a crisis, duty includes prudent foresight: a leader must ensure protection and continuity of defense before delegating or departing, especially when facing a formidable opponent like Droṇa.
Sañjaya reports a tactical concern: if someone goes to reach Arjuna, the immediate question is who will hold the line against Droṇa in the meantime; hence the insistence on arranging protection before leaving.