Shloka 493
द्रोणकर्णयोः निशि संप्रहारः — Night Engagement with Droṇa and Karṇa
अतिष्ठद् रथमार्गेषु सैन्धवं प्रतिपालयन् । वे दस बाणोंसे अर्जुनको और सातसे श्रीकृष्णको घायल करके रथके मार्गोपर जयद्रथकी रक्षा करते हुए खड़े थे
sañjaya uvāca | atiṣṭhad rathamārgeṣu saindhavaṁ pratipālayan | daśa bāṇaiḥ arjunaṁ ca sapta ca śrīkṛṣṇaṁ ghātayitvā rathamārgeṣu jayadrathasya rakṣārthaṁ sthitaḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : Posté le long des voies des chars, le prince du Sindhu montait la garde pour protéger Jayadratha. Après avoir frappé Arjuna de dix flèches et blessé Śrī Kṛṣṇa de sept, il demeura en place sur les routes des chars afin de couvrir Jayadratha—montrant comment, dans la guerre, la loyauté envers son camp peut se durcir en un devoir unique : abriter un allié décisif, fût-ce au prix d’une violence accrue contre les justes.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the wartime tension between duty to one’s faction and the broader demands of dharma: strategic loyalty and protection of an ally can become a consuming obligation, intensifying violence even against exemplary figures like Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa.
A warrior aligned with Jayadratha positions himself on the chariot-routes to prevent access and ensure Jayadratha’s safety, after shooting Arjuna with ten arrows and Śrī Kṛṣṇa with seven, thereby reinforcing a defensive cordon in the battle.