Shloka 96

अध्याय ८८ — घटोत्कच-दुर्योधनयुद्धवर्णनम्

Ghaṭotkaca–Duryodhana Engagement

Devanagari script

अभ्युद्ययुस्ते शितशस्त्रहस्ता रिरक्षिषन्तो रथमर्जुनस्थ । अस्त्रधारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ वीर अर्जुनपर आक्रमण होता देख शिखण्डी आदि महारथी उनके रथकी रक्षा करनेके लिये तीखे अस्त्र-शस्त्र हाथमें लिये आगे बढ़े

Transliteration

abhyudyayus te śitaśastrahastā rirakṣiṣanto ratham arjunastha

Translation

Sañjaya said: Seeing the assault directed at the heroic Arjuna, the foremost weapon-bearers—Śikhaṇḍī and other great chariot-warriors—advanced with keen weapons in hand, intent on guarding the chariot where Arjuna stood. The scene underscores the kṣatriya ethic of protection: comrades step forward to shield the central fighter, treating defense of an ally in peril as a duty within the ordered conduct of war.

Word by Word

अभ्युद्ययुःadvanced/charged forth

तेthey

शितsharp

शस्त्रweapon

हस्ताःhaving (in their) hands / handed

रिरक्षिषन्तःprotecting / intending to protect

रथम्chariot

अर्जुनस्थof Arjuna’s (i.e., belonging to Arjuna)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna

Śikhaṇḍī

ratha (chariot)

śastra (weapons)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya duty of protection and solidarity in battle: when a principal warrior is targeted, allied heroes must step forward to defend him, treating the safeguarding of comrades and the chariot-position as an ethical obligation within warfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that as Arjuna comes under attack, Śikhaṇḍī and other mahārathas advance with sharp weapons to protect Arjuna’s chariot, forming a defensive response to the enemy’s assault.