Shloka 176
कर्णवधप्रसङ्गः / The Context of Karṇa’s Fall
Krishna’s Dharmic Recollection and the Decisive Astra
युधामन्युश्नोत्तमौजा श्व शूरौ पृष्ठतो मां रक्षतां राजपुत्रौ । राजन! शिनिपौत्र सात्यकि और धृष्टद्युम्न मेरे चक्ररक्षक हों; युधामन्यु और उत्तमौजा --ये दोनों शूरवीर राजकुमार मेरे पृष्ठभागकी रक्षा करें
Arjuna uvāca — yudhāmanyuś ca uttamaujāḥ śvaśūrāḥ pṛṣṭhato māṁ rakṣatāṁ rājaputrāḥ | rājan! śinipautraḥ sātyakiś ca dhṛṣṭadyumno mama cakrarakṣakau bhavatu |
Arjuna said: “Let the royal princes Yudhāmanyu and Uttamaujā—both fierce heroes—guard my rear. O King, let Sātyaki, the grandson of Śini, and Dhṛṣṭadyumna serve as the protectors of my chariot-wheels.” In the press of battle, Arjuna arranges a disciplined protective formation, assigning trusted allies to safeguard vulnerable points so that his duty as a warrior may be carried out without disorder or needless loss.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in violent conflict, dharma expresses itself as disciplined responsibility: a leader protects vulnerable points, assigns roles according to capability, and relies on trusted companions so that action is effective and minimizes chaos and avoidable harm.
During the intense fighting of Karṇa Parva, Arjuna directs his allies into a protective formation: Sātyaki and Dhṛṣṭadyumna are appointed to guard the chariot’s wheels and flanks, while Yudhāmanyu and Uttamaujā are tasked with guarding Arjuna’s rear.