Shloka 2
द्रोणवध-प्रश्नः
Droṇa’s Fall: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry
संजय उवाच ऋक्षवर्णहयैर्दष्टवा व्यायच्छन्तं वृकोदरम् । रजताश्चवस्तत: शूर: शैनेय: संन्यवर्तत,संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! रीछके समान रंगवाले घोड़ोंसे जुते हुए रथपर बैठकर भीमसेनको आते देख चाँदीके समान श्वेत घोड़ोंवाले शूरवीर सात्यकि भी लौट पड़े
sañjaya uvāca
ṛkṣavarṇahayair dṛṣṭvā vyāyacchantaṃ vṛkodaram | rajatāśvās tataḥ śūraḥ śaineyaḥ saṃnyavartata ||
Sañjaya said: O King, seeing Bhīmasena (Vṛkodara) advancing—mounted on a chariot yoked with horses of bear-like hue—the heroic Śaineya (Sātyaki), whose horses were silver-white, turned back. In the press of war, this moment signals a tactical reversal: the sight of a formidable ally’s onrush reshapes the immediate duties of warriors, where courage must be guided by discernment rather than mere impulse.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In a battlefield setting, valor is not blind; a warrior’s duty includes situational judgment. The verse highlights how the appearance of a powerful force (Bhīma’s advance) can rightly prompt a change of course, suggesting that dharma in war involves prudent responsiveness, not mere stubborn persistence.
Sañjaya reports to the king that Bhīma is seen advancing on a chariot drawn by bear-colored horses. In response, the heroic Sātyaki (Śaineya), whose chariot is drawn by silver-white horses, turns back—indicating a tactical movement or regrouping triggered by Bhīma’s approach.