Shloka 12
अध्याय ६० — कर्णस्य पाञ्चाल-सोमक-निग्रहः
Karna’s Suppression of the Panchala–Somaka Forces
महाराज! शिखण्डीने कर्णपर और धृष्टद्युम्नने विशाल सेनासे घिरे हुए आपके पुत्र दुःशासनपर आक्रमण किया ।।
sañjaya uvāca |
mahārāja! śikhaṇḍinā karṇapare ca dhṛṣṭadyumnena ca viśālena senābalena parivṛtaṃ tava putraṃ duḥśāsanaṃ prati prahāraḥ kṛtaḥ ||
nakulo vṛṣasenaṃ tu citrasenaṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
ulūkaṃ samare rājan sahadevaḥ samabhyayāt ||
Sañjaya dit : «Ô grand roi, Śikhaṇḍī et Dhṛṣṭadyumna, soutenus par une vaste armée, lancèrent l’assaut contre ton fils Duḥśāsana. Dans le même combat, Nakula s’avança contre Vṛṣasena ; Yudhiṣṭhira se porta à la rencontre de Citraseṇa ; et Sahadeva chargea Ulūka sur le champ de bataille.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how war compresses moral responsibility into personal encounters: named warriors must face the results of prior choices and alliances. It also reflects the kshatriya ethic of meeting opponents directly, where leadership and accountability are tested in single combats amid the larger conflict.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Shikhandin and Dhrishtadyumna, backed by a large force, attack Duhshasana. Simultaneously, three Pandava brothers take up specific opponents: Nakula engages Vrishasena, Yudhishthira engages Chitrasena, and Sahadeva advances against Uluka.