Shloka 16
त्वरन्नेकरथेनैव बहुकृत्यं विचिन्तयन् । संजय कहते हैं--महाराज! इस प्रकार जब वह सेना विचलित होकर भाग चली, अर्जुन सिंधुराजके वधके लिये आगे बढ़ गये और उनके पीछे सात्यकि तथा भीमसेन भी वहाँ जा पहुँचे, तब आपका पुत्र दुर्योधन बड़ी उतावलीके साथ एकमात्र रथद्वारा बहुत-से आवश्यक कार्योके सम्बन्धमें सोचता-विचारता हुआ द्रोणाचार्यके पास गया,स नो रक्ष्यतमस्तात क्रुद्धाद् भीतो धनंजयात् । गतौ च सैन्धवं भीमौ युयुधानवृकोदरौ तात! जयद्रथ कुपित हुए अर्जुनसे डरा हुआ है। अतः वह हमारे लिये सबसे रक्षणीय है। भयंकर वीर सात्यकि और भीमसेन भी जयद्रथको ही लक्ष्य करके गये हैं
sañjaya uvāca |
tvarann ekaratenaiva bahukṛtyaṁ vicintayan |
sa no rakṣyatamas tāta kruddhād bhīto dhanañjayāt |
gatau ca saindhavaṁ bhīmau yuyudhānavṛkodarau ||
Sanjaya said: “Hurrying in his lone chariot, and anxiously weighing many urgent necessities, your son Duryodhana went to Droṇācārya. ‘Dear sir, Jayadratha must be protected above all for our sake—he is terrified of Dhanañjaya, who is enraged. And the two formidable warriors, Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki) and Vṛkodara (Bhīma), have also advanced, aiming at the Saindhava (Jayadratha).’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the midst of war, leaders reveal their priorities: Duryodhana’s urgency shows how a single vulnerable ally (Jayadratha) can become strategically and morally pivotal, forcing decisions driven by fear, obligation, and the need to protect one’s own side.
After the army is thrown into confusion and Arjuna advances to kill Jayadratha, with Sātyaki and Bhīma following, Duryodhana rushes to Droṇa and insists that Jayadratha must be protected above all, since Arjuna is enraged and the two fierce warriors are also targeting Jayadratha.