Shloka 486
सोदर्याश्न यथामुख्यास्ते5रक्षन् द्रोणमाहवे । एक ओरसे पाण्डवोंसहित पांचाल-सैनिक द्रोणाचार्यको मार रहे थे और दूसरी ओरसे दुर्योधन, कर्ण, सुबलपुत्र शकुनि तथा दुर्योधनके मुख्य-मुख्य भाई उस युद्धमें आचार्यकी रक्षा कर रहे थे
saudaryāś ca yathāmukhyās te 'rakṣan droṇam āhave |
Sañjaya berkata: Dalam pertempuran itu, saudara-saudara kandung Duryodhana—yang terkemuka di antara mereka—melindungi Droṇācārya. Maka, dari satu sisi para Pāṇḍava bersama pasukan Pāñcāla mendesak untuk menumbangkan Droṇācārya; dari sisi lain Duryodhana, Karṇa, Śakuni putra Subala, serta saudara-saudara utama Duryodhana berdiri sebagai perisai bagi panglima mereka.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic complexity of war: even when a commander is viewed as the key obstacle by the enemy, his side considers it a duty of loyalty and kṣatriya responsibility to protect him. It frames battle not only as violence but as competing obligations—duty to defeat versus duty to defend one’s leader and kin.
The Pāṇḍavas with the Pāñcāla troops are attempting to kill Droṇa, while on the other side Duryodhana, Karṇa, Śakuni (son of Subala), and Duryodhana’s leading brothers form a protective force around Droṇa in the midst of combat.