Shloka 48
पज्चालास्त्वेकतो द्रोणम भ्यघ्नन् पाण्डवै: सह । दुर्योधनश्व कर्णश्न शकुनिश्चापि सौबल:
Pañcālāstv ekato Droṇam abhyaghnan Pāṇḍavaiḥ saha | Duryodhanaś ca Karṇaś ca Śakuniś cāpi Saubalaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: The Pañcālas, together with the Pāṇḍavas, attacked Droṇa from one side; and Duryodhana, Karṇa, and Śakuni—the son of Subala—also pressed the fight. The verse highlights the tightening of battle-lines around the aged teacher: both sides concentrate force, showing how in war even revered elders become strategic targets, and how loyalty to one’s faction can override personal reverence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical tension of war: revered figures like Droṇa may still be treated as military obstacles when duty to one’s side and the perceived necessity of victory dominate. It also shows how collective resolve and factional loyalty drive actions that would be morally fraught in ordinary life.
Sañjaya reports a tactical moment in the battle: the Pañcālas and Pāṇḍavas coordinate an assault on Droṇa from one flank, while Duryodhana, Karṇa, and Śakuni (Saubala) engage as key Kaurava leaders, intensifying the confrontation around Droṇa.