Shloka 33
सवसातीज्थशिबींश्वैव बाह्लीकान् कौरवानपि । रक्षिष्यमाणान् संग्रामे द्रोणं व्यधमदच्युत:,कभी विचलित न होनेवाले पांचालवीरने संग्राममें द्रोणाचार्यकी रक्षा करनेवाले बसाति, शिबि, बाह्नीक और कौरवयोद्धाओंका भी संहार कर डाला
savasātīṃś ca śibīṃś caiva bāhlīkān kauravān api | rakṣiṣyamāṇān saṅgrāme droṇaṃ vyadhamad acyutaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, Acyuta cut down even the Savasātis, the Śibis, the Bāhlīkas, and the Kaurava warriors who were guarding Droṇa—thus breaking the protective ring around the preceptor. The episode underscores how, in war, loyalty and duty to one’s commander can be overwhelmed by a superior warrior’s resolve, raising the ethical tension between reverence for a teacher and the ruthless necessities of combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical strain of war: even revered figures like Droṇa become focal points of lethal strategy, and the duty of protection by loyal troops can be shattered by a superior force. It reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension between personal reverence and the harsh imperatives of battlefield dharma.
Sañjaya reports that Acyuta (Kṛṣṇa) struck down multiple groups of warriors—Savasātis, Śibis, Bāhlīkas, and Kauravas—who were actively guarding Droṇa in the battle, thereby clearing the defenders around Droṇa.