Shloka 21
अध्याय ९९ — युयुधान-दुःशासन-युद्धम्
Chapter 99: Sātyaki and Duḥśāsana’s engagement
वर्तमाने तथा युद्धे निर्मय्यादे विशाम्पते । धृष्टद्युम्नो हयानश्वैद्रोणस्य व्यत्यमिश्रयत्,राजन! जिस समय वह मर्यादाशून्य युद्ध हो रहा था, उसी समय धूृष्टद्युम्नने अपने रथके घोड़ोंको द्रोणाचार्यके घोड़ोंसे मिला दिया
sañjaya uvāca | vartamāne tathā yuddhe nirmaryāde viśāmpate | dhṛṣṭadyumno hayān aśvaidroṇasya vyatyamiśrayat ||
Sañjaya said: O lord of the people, while that battle was proceeding in such a lawless manner, Dhṛṣṭadyumna drove his chariot so as to press his horses into close mêlée with Droṇa’s horses—bringing their teams into direct contact amid the confusion of combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the erosion of maryādā (accepted limits and propriety) in war: once restraint collapses, combatants are driven into ever more direct and aggressive engagements, illustrating how adharma in conflict escalates violence and confusion.
As the fighting turns ‘nirmaryāda’ (unrestrained), Dhṛṣṭadyumna closes in on Droṇa so tightly that their chariot-horses intermingle—signaling a deliberate move into close-quarters chariot combat against the formidable teacher.