Shloka 45

Devanagari script

तमभ्यधावत्‌ त्राणार्थ द्रोणपुत्रो महारथ: । कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च पुत्र तेडपि परीप्सव:,तब महारथी द्रोणपुत्र दुर्योधनकी रक्षाके लिये दौड़ा। कृपाचार्य और कृतवर्मा भी आपके पुत्रको बचानेके लिये आ पहुँचे

Transliteration

tam abhyadhāvat trāṇārthaṁ droṇaputro mahārathaḥ | kṛpaś ca kṛtavarmā ca putra te ’pi parīpsavaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: For the sake of protection, the great chariot-warrior Aśvatthāmā, son of Droṇa, rushed forward. Kṛpa and Kṛtavarmā too—intent on saving your son—came there as well.

Word by Word

तम्him

अभ्यधावत्ran towards / rushed

त्राणार्थम्for protection (as purpose)

द्रोणपुत्रःDrona's son (Aśvatthāman)

महारथःthe great chariot-warrior

कृपःKripa

चand

कृतवर्माKṛtavarmā

चand

पुत्रम्the son

तेyour

अपिalso

परीप्सवःdesiring to save / wishing to protect

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Aśvatthāmā (Droṇaputra)

Droṇa

Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)

Kṛtavarmā

Duryodhana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

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 warrior-ethic of immediate protective loyalty: in a moment of peril, allies prioritize safeguarding their leader. Ethically, it also points to the tension between personal allegiance and the broader consequences of sustaining a destructive conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana is in danger on the battlefield. Aśvatthāmā rushes forward to defend him, and Kṛpa and Kṛtavarmā also arrive, all focused on rescuing and protecting Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son.