Shloka 3

उपायैः पूर्ववधकथनम् / Strategic Justifications for Prior Eliminations

Devanagari script

केडरक्षन्‌ दक्षिणं चक्रमाचार्यस्य महाहवे । के चोत्तरमरक्षन्त निघ्नतः शात्रवान्‌ बहून्‌,उस महासमरमें बहुसंख्यक शत्रुयोद्धाओंका संहार करनेवाले आचार्य द्रोणके दायें चक्रकी किन लोगोंने रक्षा की तथा किन लोगोंने उनके रथके बायें पहियेकी रखवाली की?

Transliteration

ke rakṣan dakṣiṇaṁ cakram ācāryasya mahāhave | ke cottaram arakṣanta nighnataḥ śātravān bahūn ||

Translation

Sanjaya berkata: “Dalam pertempuran besar itu, ketika guru Droṇa menebas jatuh banyak prajurit musuh, siapa yang menjaga roda kanan keretanya, dan siapa yang melindungi roda kirinya?”

Word by Word

केwho (plural)

अरक्षन्protected/guarded

दक्षिणम्right (side)

चक्रम्wheel; (battle-)circle/formation

आचार्यस्यof the teacher (Droṇa)

महाहवेin the great battle

केwho (plural)

चand

उत्तरम्left/northern (side)

अरक्षन्तprotected/guarded

निघ्नतःof (him) slaying

शात्रवान्enemies

बहून्many

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇa (Ācārya)

chariot wheel (cakra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the strategic and ethical weight of protecting a principal commander in war: a leader’s prowess depends not only on personal valor but also on coordinated support and disciplined guardianship by allies.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the battle, asks for details of Droṇa’s immediate protection—specifically, which warriors guarded the right and left sides (wheels) of Droṇa’s chariot while Droṇa was slaughtering many enemies in the great fight.