Shloka 196
धृष्टद्युम्नस्य द्रोणाभिमुख्यं तथा सात्यकि-कर्ण-समागमः
Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s advance toward Droṇa and the Sātyaki–Karṇa confrontation
वयस्यैरथ मित्रैश्व ते च बाहुं समाश्रिता: । क्षत्रियलोग अपने-अपने भाई, पिता, पुत्र, सम्बन्धी, बन्धु-बान्धवों, समान अवस्थावाले साथी और मित्रोंसे घिरकर शत्रुओंके साथ युद्ध करते हैं। वे सब लोग उस प्रधान योद्धाके बाहुबलके अश्रित होते हैं
vayasyair atha mitraiś ca te ca bāhuṃ samāśritāḥ | kṣatriyāḥ sva-sva-bhrātṛ-pitṛ-putra-sambandhi-bandhu-bāndhavair samānavayaskaiḥ sakhībhiś ca mitraiś ca parivṛtāḥ śatrubhiḥ saha yuddhaṃ kurvanti | te sarve tasya pradhāna-yoddhuḥ bāhubalam āśritāḥ ||
Arjuna said: “Surrounded by their own brothers, fathers, sons, relatives, kinsmen, and companions of the same age—together with friends—kṣatriyas enter battle against their enemies. Yet all of them depend upon the strength of the arm of that foremost warrior, taking shelter in his might.”
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how warriors, though surrounded by their own kin and allies, often rely on the prowess of a single foremost champion. Ethically, it points to the weight of leadership in war: the strength and choices of a principal warrior can determine the fate and conduct of many who take shelter in him.
Arjuna describes the battlefield reality in the Drona Parva context: kṣatriyas fight alongside their family networks and companions, yet their effectiveness and confidence are anchored in the might of a leading hero. This frames the dynamics of armies organized around eminent warriors.