Shloka 16
Abhimanyu-śravaṇa-prastāva and Cakravyūha-vinyāsa
Prelude to Abhimanyu’s Account and the Wheel-Formation Deployment
द्रोणेन व्याहते त्वेवे संशप्तकगणा: पुनः । आह्वयन्नर्जुनं संख्ये दक्षिणामभितो दिशम्,द्रोणाचार्यके ऐसा कहनेपर पुनः संशप्तकगणोंने दक्षिण दिशामें जा अर्जुनको युद्धके लिये ललकारा
droṇena vyāhate tv eva saṁśaptakagaṇāḥ punaḥ | āhvayann arjunaṁ saṅkhye dakṣiṇām abhito diśam ||
Sañjaya dit : Tandis que Droṇa combattait ainsi, la troupe des Saṁśaptakas défia de nouveau Arjuna sur le champ de bataille, l’attirant vers le quartier du sud. L’épisode met en lumière une ruse de guerre délibérée : détourner un champion du front principal en le provoquant par une cohorte ennemie vouée par serment et sans relâche.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how warfare tests dharma through strategy and steadfast vows: a vowed enemy-host can be used to divert a key protector, showing that ethical duty in war includes discernment—recognizing when a challenge is also a calculated distraction.
While Droṇa is actively fighting, the Saṁśaptakas again issue a direct battle-challenge to Arjuna and pull him toward the southern side of the field, aiming to separate him from the main engagement and reduce his influence elsewhere.