Shloka 206
द्रोणवध-प्रश्नः
Droṇa’s Fall: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry
तेषां तु षट् सहस्राणि ये शिखण्डिनमन्वयु: । पांचालोंके जो बारह हजार महारथी युद्धमें लड़ रहे थे, उनमेंसे छः हजार इस समय शिखण्डीके पीछे चलते थे
teṣāṃ tu ṣaṭ-sahasrāṇi ye śikhaṇḍinam anvayuḥ |
Di antara para kesatria itu, enam ribu orang mengikuti di belakang Śikhaṇḍin; dalam himpitan pertempuran, sebagian besar bala Pāñcāla pun merapat dan berbaris di pihaknya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how collective action in war depends on chosen leadership and alignment; large numbers gathering behind a figure like Śikhaṇḍin shows the ethical weight of command—decisions about whom to follow shape the course of violence and responsibility within kṣatriya-dharma.
Sañjaya reports battlefield positioning: six thousand warriors move in Śikhaṇḍin’s wake, indicating a significant contingent forming behind him as the fighting intensifies.