Shloka 21

Devanagari script

ततस्तेनैव मार्गेण येन यातो धनंजय: । इयेष सात्यकिर्गन्तुं ततो द्रोणेन वारित:,तदनन्तर जिस मार्गसे अर्जुन गये, उसीसे सात्यकिने भी जानेका विचार किया; परंतु द्रोणाचार्यने उन्हें रोक दिया

Transliteration

tatas tenaiva mārgeṇa yena yāto dhanañjayaḥ | iyeṣa sātyakir gantuṃ tato droṇena vāritaḥ ||

Translation

Then, by that very route along which Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) had gone, Sātyaki resolved to proceed as well; but at that moment Droṇa stopped him. The verse highlights how, in the press of war, even a righteous intention to follow and support an ally is constrained by the opposing commander’s strategic duty and power.

Word by Word

ततःthen/from there

तेनby that

एवindeed/just

मार्गेणby the path/route

येनby which

यातःgone

धनंजयःDhanañjaya (Arjuna)

इयेषdesired/intended

सात्यकिःSātyaki

गन्तुम्to go

ततःthen/thereupon

द्रोणेनby Droṇa

वारितःrestrained/stopped

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)

Sātyaki (Yuyudhāna)

Droṇa

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 underscores a wartime ethical tension: loyalty and the impulse to aid one’s ally (Sātyaki following Arjuna) meet the opposing commander’s obligation to defend his side through strategic restraint (Droṇa preventing him). Dharma in battle often appears as competing duties enacted through action and counteraction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that after Arjuna has gone along a particular route, Sātyaki decides to take the same path to follow him; however, Droṇa intervenes and blocks Sātyaki from proceeding.