Shloka 44
एते द्रवन्ति समरे धार्तराष्ट्रा महारथा: । अर्जुनस्य भयात् तूर्ण निरपेक्षा जनाधिपा:,“देखो! समरभूमिमें दुर्योधनकी सेनाके ये महारथी नरेश अर्जुनके भयसे आत्मीयजनोंकी भी अपेक्षा न रखकर बड़ी उतावलीके साथ भागे जा रहे हैं
ete dravanti samare dhārtarāṣṭrā mahārathāḥ | arjunasya bhayāt tūṛṇaṃ nirapekṣā janādhipāḥ ||
Arjuna said: “Look! In this battle the great chariot-warriors of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s party—those kingly lords—are fleeing in haste out of fear of me, casting aside even regard for their own kinsmen.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear can dissolve social and familial obligations in moments of crisis: even powerful rulers may abandon customary regard for kin when confronted by overwhelming threat. It also underscores the moral tension of war, where personal prowess produces psychological collapse in opponents.
Arjuna observes that the Kaurava-side great warriors and kings are retreating rapidly on the battlefield, driven by fear of him, and doing so without even considering their own relatives or allies.