Shloka 6
अभिमन्योरावरणम्
Encirclement and counter-strikes of Abhimanyu
तान् प्रभग्नांस्तथा दृष्टवा द्रोणो द्रौणिर्बृहद्धल: । कृपो दुर्योधन: कर्ण: कृतवर्माथ सौबल:,राजन्! उन सबको भागते देख द्रोणाचार्य, अश्वत्थामा, बृहदबल, कृपाचार्य, दुर्योधन, कर्ण, कृतवर्मा और शकुनि--ये सब अत्यन्त क्रोधमें भरकर अपराजित वीर अभिमन्युपर टूट पड़े; परंतु आपके उस पौत्र अभिमन्युने उन सबको प्राय: युद्धसे भगा दिया
tān prabhagnāṁs tathā dṛṣṭvā droṇo drauṇir bṛhaddhalaḥ | kṛpo duryodhanaḥ karṇaḥ kṛtavarmātha saubalaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “Seeing them thus routed and in flight, Droṇa, Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā, Bṛhaddhala, Kṛpa, Duryodhana, Karṇa, Kṛtavarmā, and Śakuni (son of Subala) surged forward in fierce wrath against the unconquered hero Abhimanyu. Yet your grandson Abhimanyu, by his prowess, drove nearly all of them back from the fight.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the power of disciplined valor and strategic skill: even a coalition of famed warriors, driven by anger, can be checked by a single steadfast fighter. Ethically, it also points to the troubling escalation in war—many seniors converging upon a younger hero—raising questions about proportionality and dharma in combat.
Sañjaya reports that after seeing their side’s troops routed, leading Kaurava champions—Droṇa, Aśvatthāmā, Bṛhaddhala, Kṛpa, Duryodhana, Karṇa, Kṛtavarmā, and Śakuni—rush together to attack Abhimanyu. Despite their combined assault, Abhimanyu largely repels them and drives them back.