Shloka 26
रणभूमिवर्णनम् — Devāsuropama-yuddha and the ‘River’ Metaphor of the Battlefield
गौतमो दक्षिणे पाश्वे शकैश्न यवनै: सह । अश्वत्थामा पृष्ठतो5भूत् काम्बोजै: परिवारित:
sañjaya uvāca | gautamo dakṣiṇe pārśve śakaiś ca yavanaiḥ saha | aśvatthāmā pṛṣṭhato 'bhūt kāmbojaiḥ parivāritaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: On the right flank stood Gautama (Kṛpācārya) together with the Śakas and Yavanas; and at the rear stood Aśvatthāmā, surrounded by the Kāmbojas. The verse maps the Kaurava battle-array, showing how seasoned commanders and allied contingents were positioned to protect the formation—an image of war’s calculated order, where loyalty to one’s side and strategic duty override personal ease, even as the larger ethical tragedy of fratricidal conflict continues.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined placement and collective duty in war: commanders accept assigned roles—flank and rear protection—to uphold their side’s safety. Ethically, it underscores how dharma in a battlefield context often appears as loyalty and responsibility within a tragic, destructive conflict.
Sañjaya describes positions within the Kaurava formation: Kṛpācārya (Gautama) stands on the right with Śaka and Yavana troops, while Aśvatthāmā holds the rear, surrounded by Kāmboja warriors—indicating a guarded, structured deployment.