Shloka 13
Adhyāya 111 (Book 6): Daśama-dina-saṃgrāma—Bhīṣma’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira and the Śikhaṇḍin-Led Advance
भगदत्तस्तत: पश्चाद् गजानीकेन संवृतः । कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च भगदत्तमनुव्रतो,इन दोनोंके पीछे हाथियोंकी विशाल सेनासे घिरे हुए राजा भगदत्त चले। कृपाचार्य और कृतवर्माने भगदत्तका अनुसरण किया
sañjaya uvāca |
bhagadattas tataḥ paścād gajānīkena saṃvṛtaḥ |
kṛpaś ca kṛtavarmā ca bhagadattam anuvrataḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : Ensuite s’avança le roi Bhagadatta, entouré d’une grande division d’éléphants. À sa suite vinrent de près Kṛpa et Kṛtavarmā, constants dans leur fidélité.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of allegiance in warfare: disciplined loyalty (anuvrata) strengthens an army’s cohesion, but it also ties followers to the righteousness—or unrighteousness—of the leader’s cause, reminding readers that duty and moral accountability travel together.
Sañjaya describes the Kaurava battle-array: Bhagadatta advances protected by a large elephant division, and the warriors Kṛpa and Kṛtavarmā move behind him as devoted followers, indicating coordinated movement and support within the formation.