Shloka 44
अध्याय १५९ — रात्रौ श्रमविरामः
Night Exhaustion and Brief Pause in Battle
ते हन्यमाना दोणेन पज्चाला: प्राद्रवन् भयात् । पश्यतो भीमसेनस्य पार्थस्य च महात्मन:
te hanyamānā droṇena pañcālāḥ prādravan bhayāt | paśyato bhīmasenasya pārthasya ca mahātmanaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Struck down by Droṇa, the Pāñcālas fled in fear—this happening before the very eyes of Bhīmasena and the noble Pārtha (Arjuna).
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear can overtake even seasoned warriors when faced with a superior force, and how battlefield conduct tests steadiness (dhairya) and duty (kṣatriya-dharma). It implicitly contrasts the ideal of resolute courage with the human reality of panic under extreme pressure.
Droṇa is striking down the Pāñcāla forces so effectively that they break formation and flee. This rout occurs in full view of Bhīma and Arjuna, emphasizing both Droṇa’s dominance at this moment and the crisis of morale among the Pāṇḍava-aligned Pāñcālas.