Shloka 22
द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping
तस्मिन् हते महामात्रे पज्चालानां महारथे । अपायाज्जवनैरश्रैद्रोणात् त्रस्तो युधिष्ठिर:
tasmin hate mahāmātre pāñcālānāṁ mahārathe | apāyāj javanair astrair droṇāt trasto yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
Sañjaya said: When that great commander—the mighty chariot-warrior of the Pāñcālas—had been slain, Yudhiṣṭhira, shaken with fear, withdrew from Droṇa, as the preceptor pressed him with swift-flying weapons. The moment underscores how even the righteous king, committed to restraint, is forced by the brutal momentum of war to retreat before superior martial force.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension of dharma in war: even a principled leader like Yudhiṣṭhira can be overwhelmed by circumstances, showing that righteousness must contend with fear, force, and the harsh realities of battle.
After a prominent Pāñcāla commander and great chariot-warrior is killed, Droṇa attacks fiercely with rapid astras. Yudhiṣṭhira, alarmed, withdraws from Droṇa’s assault.