Shloka 5
द्रोणानीकाभिमुखगमनम्
Abhimanyu advances toward Droṇa’s host
द्रौपदेयाश्व॒ संरब्धा: शैशुपालिश्न वीर्यवान् । केकयाश्व महावीर्या: सृञज्जयाश्व॒ सहस्रश:,सात्यकि, चेकितान, द्रुपदकुमार धृष्टद्युम्न, पराक्रमी कुन्तिभोज, महारथी द्रुपद, अभिमन्यु, क्षत्रधर्मा, शक्तिशाली बृहत्क्षत्र, चेदिराज धृष्टकेतु, माद्रीकुमार नकुल-सहदेव, घटोत्कच, पराक्रमी युधामन्यु, किसीसे परास्त न होनेवाला वीर शिखण्डी, दुर्धर्षवीर उत्तमौजा, महारथी विराट, क्रोधमें भरे हुए द्रौपदीपुत्र, बलवान् शिशुपालकुमार, महापराक्रमी केकयराजकुमार तथा सहस्रों सूंजयवंशी क्षत्रिय--ये तथा और भी अस्त्रविद्यामें पारंगत एवं रणदुर्मद बहुत-से शूरवीर अपने दलबलके साथ वहाँ उपस्थित थे। इन सबने युद्धकी अभिलाषासे द्रोणाचार्यपर सहसा धावा किया
sañjaya uvāca |
draupadeyāś ca saṃrabdhāḥ śaiśupāliś ca vīryavān |
kekayāś ca mahāvīryāḥ sṛñjayāś ca sahasraśaḥ |
sātyakiś ca cekitāno dhr̥ṣṭadyumno drupadātmajaḥ |
parākramī kuntibhojo mahāratho drupado 'pi ca |
abhimanyur bṛhatkṣatraś cedirājo dhr̥ṣṭaketur |
mādrīkumārau nakula-sahadevau ghaṭotkacaḥ |
yudhāmanyuḥ śikhaṇḍī ca yair na jitāḥ kadācana |
durdharṣa uttamaujāś ca mahāratho virāṭa eva ca |
ete cānye ca bahavo 'stravidyā-pariniṣṭhitāḥ |
raṇadurmada-śūrāś ca svabalaiḥ samupasthitāḥ |
te sarve yuddhābhilāṣeṇa droṇam ācāryam āhave |
sahasābhyadravan kruddhāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: The sons of Draupadī, inflamed with wrath, and the valiant son of Śiśupāla; the mighty princes of Kekaya; and thousands of the Sṛñjaya warriors—together with Sātyaki and Cekitāna; Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the son of Drupada; the powerful Kuntibhoja; the great chariot-warrior Drupada; Abhimanyu; Bṛhatkṣatra; the Cedi king Dhṛṣṭaketu; the sons of Mādrī, Nakula and Sahadeva; Ghaṭotkaca; the heroic Yudhāmanyu; Śikhaṇḍī, unconquered by others; the hard-to-resist Uttamaujas; and the great chariot-warrior Virāṭa—these and many other warriors, trained in the science of weapons and made reckless by the fury of battle, stood there with their own forces. Driven by the desire to fight, they all suddenly rushed upon Droṇa in the thick of combat, attacking him at once.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethos: when a formidable threat stands in battle, allied warriors set aside hesitation and act together. Ethically, it shows how resolve and solidarity can be directed toward a perceived duty in war—yet it also hints at the danger of anger (saṃrabdha) and battle-intoxication (raṇadurmada) driving action.
Sañjaya lists major Pāṇḍava-aligned heroes and contingents who, eager for combat, suddenly charge Droṇa on the battlefield. The focus is on the massed assault—many renowned fighters converging at once to confront a single, highly dangerous commander.