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 dijo: En las formaciones de los Pāṇḍavas, algunos guerreros, irrumpiendo de pronto en carros adornados con oro, comenzaron a combatir en medio de las filas pándavas contra Dhṛṣṭadyumna. Dhṛṣṭadyumna de los Pāñcālas, y también Śikhaṇḍin —ambos grandes guerreros de carro— se hallaban empeñados en aquel choque feroz.
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.