Shloka 11

Devanagari script

तथैव सतत पार्थ रक्षिताभ्यां त्वया रणे | धृष्टद्युम्नशिखण्डिभ्यां भीष्मद्रोणी निपातिती,'पार्थ! इसी प्रकार रणक्षेत्रमें सदा तुमसे सुरक्षित रहकर ही धृष्टद्युम्म और शिखण्डीने द्रोणाचार्य और भीष्मको मार गिराया है

Transliteration

tathaiva satata pārtha rakṣitābhyāṃ tvayā raṇe | dhṛṣṭadyumnaśikhaṇḍibhyāṃ bhīṣmadroṇī nipātitau ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “In the same way, O Pārtha, while being constantly protected by you on the battlefield, Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Śikhaṇḍin brought down Droṇa and Bhīṣma.”

Word by Word

तथाthus, in the same way

एवindeed, just

सततम्always, continually

पार्थO son of Pritha (Arjuna)

रक्षिताभ्याम्by (the two) protected/guarded (ones)

त्वयाby you

रणेin battle

धृष्टद्युम्नशिखण्डिभ्याम्by Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandin

भीष्मद्रोणीBhishma and Drona

निपातितौwere felled, were made to fall

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Dhṛṣṭadyumna

Śikhaṇḍin

Bhīṣma

Droṇa

raṇa (battlefield)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and practical dimension of leadership in war: decisive acts by key warriors succeed when supported by steadfast protection and responsibility. It underscores that outcomes in a dharma-yuddha are not merely individual feats but coordinated duties—guarding allies so they can fulfill their appointed roles.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya recounts to the listener that Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Śikhaṇḍin were able to bring down the great elders Droṇa and Bhīṣma because Arjuna (Pārtha) continually protected them in battle. The statement connects famous turning points—Bhīṣma’s fall with Śikhaṇḍin’s role and Droṇa’s fall with Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s role—to Arjuna’s battlefield support.