Shloka 176
द्रोण–सात्यकि द्वैरथम्
Droṇa and Sātyaki: The Chariot Duel
नेत्रैरनिमिषैद्दीना: प्रत्यवैक्षन् परस्परम् । उस समय सबके मुखपर विषाद छा गया। सब लोग अर्जुनको घेरकर दु:खी हो एकटक नेत्रोंसे एक-दूसरेकी ओर देखने लगे
netrair animiṣair dīnāḥ pratyavaikṣan parasparam |
Yudhiṣṭhira said: With unblinking eyes, overwhelmed by sorrow, they looked at one another. A pall of grief spread over every face; surrounding Arjuna, all stood distressed, staring fixedly as they searched each other’s expressions—an image of collective moral shock amid the duties and costs of war.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the human and ethical weight of warfare: even those committed to dharma and duty can be seized by grief and moral disquiet. The unblinking mutual gaze suggests stunned reflection—an implicit reminder that righteous action in war still carries emotional and ethical consequences that must be faced honestly.
After a distressing development in the battle context, the warriors’ faces are clouded with sorrow. They gather around Arjuna and, in silence, look at one another with fixed, unblinking eyes—signaling shock, shared anxiety, and a search for understanding or resolve.