Shloka 13
भीष्मरथाभिमुख्यं — Arjuna’s advance with Śikhaṇḍin; Duḥśāsana’s interception
तथा भीमो महाराज द्रौपद्या: पजच चात्मजा: । केकया भ्रातर: पञज्च सात्यकिश्ैव सात्वत:
tathā bhīmo mahārāja draupadyāḥ pañca cātmajāḥ | kekayā bhrātaraḥ pañca sātyakiś caiva sātvataḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “So too, O great king, Bhīma; the five sons of Draupadī; the five brothers of Kekaya; and Sātyaki of the Sātvata line.” In this roll-call of warriors, the narrative underscores the breadth of the Pāṇḍava alliance and the collective resolve brought to the field of dharma-war, where kinship, vows, and duty converge in the impending conflict.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how dharma in a great conflict is carried not by a single hero but by a network of allies bound by duty, kinship, and pledged support. It implicitly stresses responsibility and solidarity: many lineages and households bear the moral weight of war’s consequences.
Sañjaya continues enumerating notable warriors aligned with the Pāṇḍavas, naming Bhīma, Draupadī’s five sons, the five Kekaya brothers, and Sātyaki. This functions as a battlefield roll-call, situating key participants before the fighting intensifies.