Shloka 45
Irāvān-nidhana-anantaraṃ Ghaṭotkaca-nādaḥ
After Irāvān’s fall: Ghaṭotkaca’s roar and the clash with Duryodhana
चोदयाश्वान् हृषीकेश यत्रैते बहुला रथा:
sañjaya uvāca | codayāśvān hṛṣīkeśa yatraite bahulā rathāḥ | mādhava ime 'stravidyā-vidaḥ raṇa-durmadā bahusaṅkhyakāḥ śūrāḥ yathā asmākam senāyā vināśaṃ na kuryuḥ tathā etad rathaṃ tatraiva nayasva ||
संजय बोले—“हृषीकेश! जहाँ ये बहुत-से रथ बढ़ रहे हैं, उधर ही घोड़ों को हाँकिए। माधव! इस रथ को वहाँ इस प्रकार ले चलिए कि अस्त्र-विद्या में निपुण और रण-उन्मत्त ये असंख्य शूरवीर हमारी सेना का विनाश न कर सकें।”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds battlefield prudence and responsible command: even amid war, a leader seeks to prevent needless destruction of one’s forces by positioning and movement, relying on disciplined action rather than reckless bravado.
Sanjaya reports an instruction addressed to Krishna (as Hrishikesha/Madhava) to drive the chariot toward the dense movement of chariots, with the strategic aim of countering numerous, weapon-skilled, battle-proud warriors so they do not devastate the speaker’s army.