Shloka 27
द्रोणपुत्रं शिनेर्नप्ता धृष्टकेतुस्तु पौरवम् अभिमन्यु: सहामात्यं दुर्योधनमयोधयत्,सात्यकि अभश्व॒त्थामाके साथ, धृष्टकेतु पौरवके साथ तथा मन्त्रियोंसहित दुर्योधनके साथ अभिमन्यु युद्ध करने लगे
sañjaya uvāca | droṇaputraṁ śiner naptā dhṛṣṭaketuś ca pauravam | abhimanyuḥ sahāmātyaṁ duryodhanam ayodhayat | sātyakiś cāśvatthāmānaṁ saha dhṛṣṭaketunā ||
Sañjaya said: Abhimanyu engaged Duryodhana in battle, even as he was supported by his ministers and allies. At the same time, Śine’s grandson Sātyaki fought Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā, while Dhṛṣṭaketu confronted the Paurava forces. The scene underscores the moral weight of war: each warrior chooses his opponent and accepts the consequences of duty, loyalty, and the escalating cost of violence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical gravity of kṣatriya-dharma in war: warriors deliberately engage worthy opponents, acting from loyalty and duty, yet the narrative also points to how quickly conflict expands—leaders and their entourages become entangled, and violence multiplies through alliances.
Sañjaya reports simultaneous duels and engagements: Abhimanyu attacks Duryodhana despite his support network; Sātyaki fights Aśvatthāmā (Droṇa’s son); and Dhṛṣṭaketu presses the Paurava/Kaurava side. It is a snapshot of the battlefield’s shifting pairings and intensifying combat.