Shloka 16
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
पाण्डवानामनीकेषु धृष्टद्युम्मनमयो धयन् । कुछ लोग अपने सुवर्णभूषित रथोंके द्वारा सहसा आकर पाण्डवसेनाओंमें धृष्टद्युम्नके साथ युद्ध करने लगे ।। धृष्टद्युम्नोडपि पाञज्चाल्य: शिखण्डी च महारथ:
pāṇḍavānām anīkeṣu dhṛṣṭadyumnam ayo dhayan | kucit suvarṇabhūṣitai rathaiḥ sahasāgatya pāṇḍavasenāsu dhṛṣṭadyumnena saha yuddhaṃ cakruḥ || dhṛṣṭadyumno 'pi pāñcālyaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ |
Sañjaya said: In the battle-formations of the Pāṇḍavas, some warriors, suddenly rushing in with their chariots adorned in gold, began to fight amid the Pāṇḍava ranks against Dhṛṣṭadyumna. Dhṛṣṭadyumna of the Pāñcālas, and Śikhaṇḍin too—both great chariot-warriors—were engaged in that fierce clash.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical pressure of kṣatriya warfare: sudden assaults test a commander’s steadiness and responsibility toward his troops. Courage and readiness are portrayed as necessary virtues when chaos breaks into ordered formations.
Some warriors rush in abruptly with gold-adorned chariots into the Pāṇḍava formations and engage in combat centered on Dhṛṣṭadyumna; Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Śikhaṇḍin are identified as major fighters active in the clash.