Shloka 45
Saṃśaptakas in Candrārdha-vyūha; Arjuna’s Devadatta and the Traigarta Rout
Chapter 17
हते तु पुरुषव्याप्रे रणे सत्यजिति प्रभो । सर्वैरपि समेतैर्वा न स्थातव्यं कथंचन,प्रभो! यदि पुरुषसिंह सत्यजित् रणभूमिमें वीरगतिको प्राप्त हो जायँ तो आप सब लोगोंके साथ होनेपर भी किसी तरह युद्धभूमिमें न ठहरियेगा
hate tu puruṣavyāpre raṇe satyajiti prabho | sarvair api sametair vā na sthātavyaṃ kathaṃcana, prabho ||
Arjuna berkata: “Wahai tuan, bila Satyajit—singa di antara manusia—gugur di medan laga, maka sekalipun kalian semua telah berkumpul, janganlah bertahan di medan perang dengan cara apa pun. Mundurlah seketika.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes prudent command ethics in war: when a key champion falls, continuing to hold position—despite numerical support—can become reckless. Arjuna frames withdrawal as a duty of responsible leadership, prioritizing preservation of forces over stubborn valor.
Arjuna addresses a leader respectfully (“prabho”) and issues a conditional instruction: if Satyajit is killed in the fighting, the allied group should not remain on the battlefield under any circumstance, even if they are all together—implying an urgent retreat or regrouping.