Chapter 137: Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki) Slays Somadatta; Yudhiṣṭhira Redirected from Droṇa
अश्वत्थामा मद्रराज: कृप: कर्णश्व॒ संगता:
aśvatthāmā madrarājaḥ kṛpaḥ karṇaś ca saṅgatāḥ
धृतराष्ट्र बोले—“अश्वत्थामा, मद्रराज, कृप और कर्ण—ये सब एकत्र हो गए हैं।”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
The verse highlights how collective resolve among powerful figures can intensify conflict: when leaders and elite warriors unite, their shared commitment can override hesitation and deepen the war’s ethical crisis, testing dharma through loyalty, ambition, and duty.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra reports that key Kaurava-side warriors—Aśvatthāmā, Śalya (king of Madra), Kṛpa, and Karṇa—have gathered together, implying a strategic meeting or coordinated alignment in the unfolding battle events.