Shloka 38
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 25 — Bhīma’s Disruption of Elephant Formations and Bhagadatta’s Shock Advance
अड्ढदो$भिमुखं वीरमुत्तमौजसमाहवे । द्रोणायाभिमुखं यान्तं शरौघेण न्यवारयत्,अंगदने वीर उत्तमौजाको अपने और द्रोणाचार्यके सामने आते देख युद्धस्थलमें अपने बाणसमुदायकी वर्षासे रोक दिया
aḍḍhodo’bhimukhaṃ vīram uttamaujasaṃ āhave | droṇāyābhimukhaṃ yāntaṃ śaraughena nyavārayat |
Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, the valiant Uttamaujā, seeing the hero Aḍḍhoda advancing toward him and moving straight toward Droṇa, checked his advance by showering him with a dense torrent of arrows. The scene underscores the warrior’s duty to restrain a dangerous onrush in war, even when the opponent is courageous, by measured force and tactical interception.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-duty in warfare: when a dangerous advance threatens one’s side (here, toward Droṇa), a warrior must act decisively to restrain it. Courage is acknowledged, yet duty and protection of one’s commander/formation justify forceful interception.
Sañjaya reports that Uttamaujā notices the hero Aḍḍhoda advancing directly, with his movement oriented toward Droṇa. Uttamaujā blocks that advance by releasing a concentrated barrage—described as a ‘torrent’—of arrows.