Shloka 11
Chapter 12: Arjuna’s suppression of the Saṃśaptakas and duel with Aśvatthāmā
Drauṇi
गजों और गजारोहियोंने रथियों, घुड़सवारों और पैदलोंको मार गिराया, पैदलोंने रथियों, घुड़सवारों और हाथीसवारोंको धराशायी कर दिया, घुड़सवारोंने रथियों, पैदलों और गजारोहियोंको मार डाला तथा रथियोंने भी पैदल मनुष्यों और गजारोहियोंको मार गिराया,कैकेयौ सात्यकिं युद्धे शरवर्षेण भास्वता । सात्यकि: केकयौ चापि च्छादयामास भारत
kaikeyau sātyakiṃ yuddhe śaravarṣeṇa bhāsvatā | sātyakiḥ kekayau cāpi cchādayāmāsa bhārata ||
Sañjaya said: In that battle, elephants and elephant-riders brought down charioteers, horsemen, and foot-soldiers; infantry felled charioteers, horsemen, and elephant-riders; horsemen slew charioteers, infantry, and elephant-riders; and charioteers too struck down foot-soldiers and elephant-riders. Then the Kaikeya warrior covered Sātyaki with a blazing shower of arrows, and Sātyaki, O Bhārata, covered the Kekaya in return.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the momentum of warfare: once combat is joined, even celebrated heroes respond to attack with counter-attack. It implicitly contrasts kṣatriya valor with the ethical cost of escalation—prowess becomes a cycle of retaliation rather than a space for restraint.
Sañjaya reports a duel-like exchange: a Kaikeya/Kekaya warrior showers Sātyaki with brilliant arrows, and Sātyaki immediately answers by covering his opponent with missiles as well, intensifying the battlefield clash.