Shloka 24
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 96: Sātyaki’s Line-Penetration, Encirclement, and Advance toward Arjuna
धनंजयेन चोत्सृष्टो वर्तते प्रमुखे नूप । तस्माद् व्यूहमुखं हित्वा नाहं योत्स्यामि फाल्गुनम्,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-- नरेश्वर! इस समय युधिष्छिर अर्जुनसे रहित होकर मेरे सामने खड़े हैं। ऐसी अवस्थामें मैं व्यूहका द्वार छोड़कर अर्जुनके साथ युद्ध करनेके लिये नहीं जाऊँगा
sañjaya uvāca | dhanañjayena cotsṛṣṭo vartate pramukhe nṛpa | tasmād vyūhamukhaṃ hitvā nāhaṃ yotsyāmi phālgunam | tvarann ekarathenaiva sametya droṇam abravīt |
Sañjaya said: “O king, now that Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) has been dispatched to the front, he is engaged there. Therefore I will not abandon the mouth of the battle-formation to go and fight Phālguna (Arjuna).” Saying this, Duryodhana hurried in a single chariot to Droṇa, met him, and spoke. The statement reflects a tactical and ethical posture: Duryodhana frames his choice as guarding the ‘gate’ of the array—prioritizing the immediate duty of holding the formation’s entrance and confronting the Pandava leadership present before him, rather than pursuing personal combat with Arjuna at that moment.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a wartime ethic of role-based duty: a commander claims responsibility for holding the critical ‘entrance’ of the formation rather than chasing a desired duel. It also shows how moral language (duty to guard the array) can be used to justify strategic choices under pressure.
Sañjaya reports that Arjuna has been sent forward and is engaged at the front. Duryodhana decides he will not leave the opening of the Kaurava battle-array to fight Arjuna, and he hastens alone in a chariot to Droṇa to confer and speak his resolve.