Shloka 37
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
धृष्टद्युम्नस्तु समरे पराजित्य नराधिपम् | अपक्रान्ते तव सुते हयपृष्ठं समाश्रिते,पुत्र: पाउ्चालराजस्य जिधघांसु: कुञज्जरान् ययौ | उधर धृष्टद्युम्नने समरांगणमें राजा दुर्योधनको पराजित कर दिया था। महाराज! जब आपका पुत्र घोड़ेकी पीठपर सवार हो वहाँसे भाग गया, तब समस्त पाण्डवोंको हाथियोंसे घिरा हुआ देखकर धृष्टद्युम्नने सहसा उस गजसेनापर धावा किया। पांचालराजके पुत्र धृष्टद्यम्न उन हाथियोंको मार डालनेके लिये वहाँसे चल दिये
dhṛṣṭadyumnas tu samare parājitya narādhipam | apakrānte tava sute hayapṛṣṭhaṃ samāśrite, putraḥ pāñcālarājasya jighāṃsuḥ kuñjarān yayau |
Sañjaya said: In the battle, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, having defeated the king (Duryodhana), saw your son retreating, taking refuge upon the back of a horse. Then the son of the king of Pāñcāla, intent on slaying the elephants, swiftly advanced against that elephant-force.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic of seizing advantage: when an opposing leader withdraws, the victorious commander intensifies pressure on the enemy’s strongest remaining formation. It also reflects the harsh logic of kṣatriya warfare—resolve and initiative are praised, while retreat shifts the moral and tactical balance toward the opponent.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Dhṛṣṭadyumna has overcome Duryodhana in combat. As Duryodhana retreats mounted on a horse, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, son of the Pāñcāla king, advances with the intent to destroy the Kaurava elephant contingent.