Shloka 22
द्रवमाणं तु तत् सैन्यं द्रोणकर्णो महारथौ । जघ्नतु: पृष्ठतो राजन् किरन्तौ सायकान् बहून्,राजन! महारथी द्रोणाचार्य और कर्ण बहुत-से बाणोंकी वर्षा करते हुए उस भागती हुई पाण्डव-सेनाको पीछेसे मार रहे थे
dravamāṇaṃ tu tat sainyaṃ droṇakarṇau mahārathau | jaghnatuḥ pṛṣṭhato rājan kirantau sāyakān bahūn ||
Sañjaya said: O King, as that army fled in disarray, the two great chariot-warriors—Droṇa and Karṇa—struck it from the rear, showering it with countless arrows. The scene underscores the relentless pressure of war, where panic and retreat invite pursuit, and where martial prowess is used to break the enemy’s cohesion rather than to offer respite.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a practical ethical tension of war: once an army loses composure and retreats, the stronger side exploits that vulnerability to shatter resistance. It points to the importance of steadiness and discipline in dharma-bound action, while also showing how warfare often rewards tactical advantage over compassion.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Pāṇḍava forces are fleeing, and that Droṇa and Karṇa—both foremost chariot-warriors—are attacking them from behind, raining many arrows and inflicting heavy damage during the rout.