Shloka 193
पुनरावर्तितं केन यदि जानासि शंस मे | आचार्य द्रोणके मारे जानेपर वैसी दुरवस्थामें पड़कर जो सेना भाग गयी थी, उसे फिर किसने लौटाया है? यदि तुम जानते हो तो मुझे बताओ
punarāvartitaṁ kena yadi jānāsi śaṁsa me | ācārya-droṇake māre jñāne para vaśī duravasthāṁ paḍakara yo senā bhāgā gayī thī, use punaḥ kisne lauṭāyā hai? yadi tvaṁ jānāsi tato me vada ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “By whom has our army been turned back and brought again into order? If you know, tell me. After the slaying of the teacher Droṇa, the host—thrown into a grievous and helpless condition—had fled in confusion. Who has now rallied it and made it return?”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical and practical burden of leadership in war: after a morally and emotionally shattering event (the fall of a revered teacher), restoring discipline and purpose becomes crucial. It points to the importance of accountability—identifying who steadied the army—and the recognition that victory depends not only on force but on morale, order, and responsible command.
In the aftermath of Droṇa’s death, the army had broken ranks and fled in panic. Yudhiṣṭhira asks who managed to stop that rout and bring the troops back to the battlefield, seeking clarity about the agent who restored cohesion amid chaos.