Shloka 13
देवासुर-संग्रामके समान जब वह घोर युद्ध चल रहा था, उस समय धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरने अपने पक्षके क्षत्रिय योद्धाओंसे इस प्रकार कहा--“महारथियो! तुम सब लोग पूर्णतः सावधान होकर द्रोणाचार्यपर धावा करो ।। एषो हि पार्षतो वीरो भारद्वाजेन संगत: । घटते च यथाशक्ति भारद्वाजस्य नाशने,'ये वीर द्रुपदकुमार धृष्टद्युम्न द्रोणाचार्यके साथ जूझ रहे हैं और उनके विनाशके लिये यथाशक्ति चेष्टा कर रहे हैं
sañjaya uvāca |
devāsura-saṅgrāmake samānaṃ yadā sa ghoraḥ saṅgrāmo vartamāna āsīt, tadā dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ svapakṣīyān kṣatriya-yodhān evam uvāca— “mahārathāḥ! yūyaṃ sarve sampūrṇaṃ sāvadhānā bhūtvā droṇācāryam abhidhāvata ||
eṣo hi pārṣato vīro bhāradvājena saṅgataḥ |
ghaṭate ca yathāśakti bhāradvājasya nāśane ||”
Sañjaya said: When that dreadful battle was raging—like the legendary wars between gods and demons—Dharma-king Yudhiṣṭhira addressed the Kṣatriya warriors on his side: “Great chariot-fighters, all of you be fully alert and charge at Droṇa.” “For this Pārṣata hero, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, is already engaged with Bhāradvāja’s son (Droṇa) and is striving with all his power to bring about Droṇa’s destruction.” In ethical tone, the passage shows Yudhiṣṭhira’s reluctant but resolute shift from restraint to strategic necessity: in a war where adharma has escalated, the commander is urged to act decisively against a formidable teacher-warrior to protect the larger cause.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a dharma-minded leader may be compelled to decisive action when circumstances demand protection of the larger cause; vigilance (sāvadhāna) and coordinated effort are presented as necessary virtues in a crisis, despite the moral weight of opposing a revered teacher like Droṇa.
During an extremely fierce phase of battle, Yudhiṣṭhira urges his great warriors to attack Droṇa. He notes that Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata) is already engaged with Droṇa and is exerting himself to bring about Droṇa’s downfall, implying the army should support and intensify that effort.