Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 37: Sañjaya’s Account of Abhimanyu’s Precision Disruption of a Chariot Contingent
ततस्तस्मिन् हते वीरे सौभद्रेणाश्मकेश्वरे
tatastasmīn hate vīre saubhadreṇāśmakeśvare
Sañjaya dit : Puis, lorsque ce seigneur héroïque des Aśmakas fut tué par Saubhadra, le cours de la bataille s’infléchit sous le poids de cette chute décisive.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the ethical and practical weight of leadership in dharmic warfare: the fall of a principal warrior is not merely personal loss but a moral and strategic turning point that reshapes collective resolve and responsibility.
Sañjaya reports that Saubhadra (Abhimanyu) has slain the heroic ruler of the Aśmaka forces; this death serves as a pivot in the battle narrative, setting up the reactions and subsequent movements of the armies.