Shloka 12
ते पुनः संन्यवर्तन्त कृत्वा संशप्तकान् मिथ: । परां युद्धे मतिं क्रूरां तव पुत्रस्य शासनात्,आपके पुत्रकी आज्ञासे युद्धके लिये अत्यन्त क्रूरतापूर्ण निश्चय करके परस्पर शपथ ले वे सभी पराजित योद्धा पुन: लौट आये
te punaḥ saṁnyavartanta kṛtvā saṁśaptakān mithaḥ | parāṁ yuddhe matiṁ krūrāṁ tava putrasya śāsanāt ||
Sañjaya said: Then those warriors, having bound themselves again by mutual vows as the Saṁśaptakas, turned back once more. At your son’s command they fixed their minds on a ruthless resolve for battle—choosing grim determination over restraint, and returning to the field despite having been driven back.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how vows and obedience to authority can intensify violence: under a leader’s command, warriors may harden their resolve into cruelty, raising ethical tension between duty in war and the restraint expected by dharma.
After being checked or driven back, the warriors regroup, renew their mutual vow as the Saṁśaptakas, and return to the fight with an extreme, ruthless determination—explicitly prompted by the command of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Duryodhana).