Shloka 73
युधिष्ठिरस्य कृष्णार्जुनादि-समाश्वासनम्
Yudhiṣṭhira’s reassurance and praise of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, Bhīma, and Sātyaki
राजन! फिर तो महामना धृष्टद्युम्नके घोड़े भाग चले। उनके भाग जानेपर पराक्रमी द्रोणाचार्य रणभूमिमें सब ओर घूम-घूमकर पांचालों और सूंजयोंके साथ युद्ध करने लगे ।। विजित्य पाण्डुपञ्चालान् भारद्वाज: प्रतापवान् । स्वं व्यूहं पुनरास्थाय स्थितो5भवदरिंदम: । न चैनं पाण्डवा युद्धे जेतुमुत्सेहिरे प्रभो,इस प्रकार शत्रुओंका दमन करनेवाले प्रतापी द्रोणाचार्य पाण्डवों और पांचालोंको पराजित करके पुनः अपने व्यूहमें आकर खड़े हो गये। प्रभो! उस समय पाण्डव-सैनिक युद्धमें उन्हें जीतनेका साहस न कर सके
sañjaya uvāca | rājan! tataḥ sa mahāmanā dhṛṣṭadyumnasya hayāḥ palāyanta | teṣu palāyiteṣu parākramī droṇācāryo raṇabhūmau sarvataḥ paribhraman pāñcālān sṛñjayāṃś ca saha yuyudhe || vijitya pāṇḍupañcālān bhāradvājaḥ pratāpavān | svaṃ vyūhaṃ punar āsthāya sthito 'bhavad arindamaḥ | na cainaṃ pāṇḍavā yuddhe jetum utsehire prabho ||
Sañjaya said: “O King, then the horses of the high-souled Dhṛṣṭadyumna bolted and fled. When they had run off, the valiant Droṇācārya ranged about the battlefield on every side, engaging the Pāñcālas together with the Sṛñjayas. Having defeated the Pāṇḍavas and the Pāñcālas, the mighty Bhāradvāja (Droṇa), a crusher of foes, returned to his own battle-formation and stood firm. O Lord, at that time the Pāṇḍava forces did not dare to overcome him in combat.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how battlefield outcomes depend not only on righteousness or intent but also on discipline, morale, and tactical stability: when a leader’s chariot-horses bolt, momentum collapses; conversely, a seasoned commander who regroups into a firm formation can dominate opponents who lose heart.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s horses run off, disrupting the Pāṇḍava side. Droṇa then roams the field fighting the Pāñcālas and Sṛñjayas, defeats the Pāṇḍava-Pāñcāla forces, and re-establishes himself in his own vyūha; the Pāṇḍavas hesitate to challenge him directly.