Shloka 193
द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय १६२: प्रातःसंध्यायां युद्धप्रवृत्तिः तथा रजोमेघे संमूढता
स्थिरीभूताश्न युद्ध्यध्वं दर्शयन्तो5स्त्रलाघवम् । तदनन्तर गौतमीनन्दन अभश्वत्थामाने केकयोंसहित पांचालोंसे कहा--“महारथियो! अब सब लोग मिलकर मेरे शरीरपर प्रहार करो और अपनी अस्त्र-संचालनकी फुर्ती दिखाते हुए सुस्थिर होकर युद्ध करो”
sañjaya uvāca | sthirībhūtāś ca yuddhyadhvaṃ darśayanto 'stralāghavam | tad-anantaraṃ gautamī-nandanaḥ aśvatthāmānaṃ kekaya-sahitaṃ pāñcālān uvāca— “mahārathiyaḥ! adya sarve militvā mama śarīre prahāraṃ kuruta, astrasañcālana-furtim darśayantaḥ su-sthirāḥ san yuddhyata” |
Sanjaya said: “Stand firm and fight, displaying your skill in the swift handling of weapons.” Thereafter, the son of Gautamī—Aśvatthāmā—addressed the Pāñcālas along with the Kekayas: “O great chariot-warriors, now all of you together strike at my very body. Show the quick mastery of your weapons, and fight with steady resolve.” In this moment, the ethic of battle is framed as unwavering composure and demonstrable martial discipline, even as the speaker challenges the enemy to concentrate their force upon him.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes steadiness of mind and disciplined skill in warfare: one should act with composure (sthirībhūta), demonstrate trained competence (astralāghava), and maintain resolve even amid danger—an expression of kṣatriya-dharma as controlled courage rather than panic or cruelty.
Sanjaya reports a call to fight steadily and show weapon-skill. Then Aśvatthāmā, identified as Gautamī’s son, addresses the Pāñcālas together with the Kekayas, daring them to unite and strike his body, effectively issuing a battlefield challenge and inviting concentrated attack.