Shloka 22
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 96: Sātyaki’s Line-Penetration, Encirclement, and Advance toward Arjuna
नचाहं शीघ्रयाने5द्य समर्थो वयसान्वित: । सेनामुखे च पार्थानामेतद् बलमुपस्थितम्,त्वरन्नेकरथेनैव समेत्य द्रोणमब्रवीत् । संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! तदनन्तर जब कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुन सिन्धुराज जयद्रथका वध करनेकी इच्छासे द्रोणाचार्य और कृतवर्माका दुस्तर सेना-व्यूह भेदन करके आपकी सेनामें प्रविष्ट हो गये और सव्यसाची अर्जुनके हाथसे जब काम्बोजराजकुमार सुदक्षिण तथा पराक्रमी श्रुतायुध मार दिये गये तथा जब सारी सेनाएँ नष्ट-भ्रष्ट होकर चारों ओर भाग खड़ी हुईं, उस समय अपनी सम्पूर्ण सेनामें भगदड़ मची देख आपका पुत्र दुर्योधन बड़ी उतावलीके साथ एकमात्र रथके द्वारा द्रोणाचार्यके पास गया और उनसे मिलकर इस प्रकार बोला-- मैं बूढ़ा हो गया। अतः अब मैं शीघ्रतापूर्वक रथ चलानेमें असमर्थ हूँ। इधर मेरी सेनाके सामने यह कुन्तीकुमारोंकी भारी सेना उपस्थित है
sañjaya uvāca |
na cāhaṃ śīghrayāne 'dya samartho vayasa-anvitaḥ |
senāmukhe ca pārthānām etad balaṃ upasthitam |
tvaran ekaratheṇaiva sametya droṇam abravīt |
Sañjaya said: “O King, today I am no longer capable of swift driving, being burdened by age. And here, at the very front, this mighty force of the Pārthas stands arrayed.” Seeing his entire army thrown into panic and flight after Arjuna had broken through the formidable formations and struck down leading warriors, Duryodhana hurried in a single chariot to Droṇa and spoke these words—revealing both the pressure of the moment and the moral strain of a war where fear and urgency begin to govern counsel.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a practical ethical insight from the battlefield: leadership and decision-making are constrained by human limits (age, capacity, fear), and when morale collapses, rulers seek authoritative counsel. It implicitly warns that strategy without steadiness and self-mastery becomes reactive, driven by panic rather than discernment.
After Arjuna’s aggressive advance and the resulting disarray in the Kaurava forces, Duryodhana rushes alone in a chariot to Droṇa to seek guidance. The quoted speech expresses inability to act swiftly due to age and points to the Pāṇḍava force standing at the battle-front, setting up Duryodhana’s urgent appeal to Droṇa.