Shloka 23
बलमासीत् _तदा सर्वमृते द्रोणार्जुनावु भौ । तावेवास्तां निलयनं तावार्तायनमेव च
balam āsīt tadā sarvam ṛte droṇārjunāv ubhau | tāv evāstāṁ nilayanaṁ tāv ārtāyanam eva ca ||
Sañjaya said: At that time, the entire strength of the host seemed to reside in those two alone—Droṇa and Arjuna. They were, as it were, the army’s refuge and shelter, and likewise its sole recourse in distress.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In extreme conflict, the effective power of a vast collective may hinge on a few decisive individuals; this highlights both the responsibility borne by leaders and the fragility of relying on singular champions rather than shared discipline and dharma.
Sañjaya describes a moment in the Drona Parva when the battlefield’s momentum is such that the army’s confidence and capability appear concentrated in Droṇa and Arjuna alone, who function as the host’s shelter and last resort in distress.