Shloka 18
Nārāyaṇāstra-utpātaḥ — Aśvatthāman’s Rallying Roar after Droṇa’s Fall (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६७)
इसी प्रकार रणभूमिमें शत्रुसैनिकोंका संहार करनेवाले, हर्ष और उत्साहसे युक्त, महाधनुर्धर द्रोणाचार्यको पांचाल राजकुमार धृष्टद्युम्नने आगे बढ़नेसे रोक दिया ।। तथान्यान् पाण्डुपुत्राणां समायातान् महारथान् | तावका रथिनो राजन् वारयामासुरोजसा,राजन्! इसी तरह आक्रमण करनेवाले पाण्डव-पक्षके अन्य महारथियोंकों आपकी सेनाके महारथियोंने बलपूर्वक रोका
tathānyān pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ samāyātān mahārathān | tāvakā rathino rājan vārayāmāsur ojasā ||
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, sebagaimana Dhṛṣṭadyumna, putra raja Pāñcāla, menahan laju Droṇācārya—sang pemanah agung yang dengan girang dan penuh semangat membantai bala musuh—demikian pula para kesatria kereta pihakmu menahan dengan kekuatan semata para mahāratha Pāṇḍava lainnya yang maju menyerbu.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of kṣatriya-dharma: warriors must meet force with force, restraining an onrushing enemy not out of personal hatred but out of duty to their side. It also implies that even the mightiest fighter’s advance can be checked when opponents act with coordinated vigor.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Dhṛṣṭadyumna halted Droṇa’s forward movement, and likewise the Kaurava chariot-warriors powerfully stopped other approaching Pāṇḍava great chariot-fighters, preventing them from breaking through.