Shloka 23
ततस्तव सुतादिष्टा नानाजनपदेश्वरा: । द्रोणेन सहपुत्रेण सहसेना महाबला:,तदनन्तर आपके पुत्रकी आज्ञा पाकर नाना देशोंके स्वामी महाबली नरेशगण अपनी विशाल सेनासहित द्रोण तथा अश्वत्थामाके साथ अग्रसर हुए
tatas tava sutādiṣṭā nānājanapadeśvarāḥ | droṇena sahaputreṇa sahasenā mahābalāḥ ||
Sanjaya said: Then, acting on your son’s command, the mighty kings—lords of many realms—advanced with their vast armies, accompanied by Droṇa and his son Aśvatthāmā. The verse underscores how royal authority and allegiance mobilize collective force, setting the stage for the ethical weight of obedience and the consequences of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral tension between obedience to a ruler’s command and the ethical consequences of collective action in war: power can swiftly gather allies, but responsibility for the resulting violence is shared across those who choose to follow.
After receiving Duryodhana’s order, many powerful regional kings move forward with their large forces, accompanied by Droṇa and his son Aśvatthāmā, indicating the Kaurava side’s organized advance and consolidation of strength.