Shloka 21
भोजमेके<भ्यवर्तन्त जलसंधं तथापरे । पाण्डवै्न्यमानाश्न द्रोणमेवापरे ययु:,पाण्डव-योद्धाओंकी मार खाकर कुछ सैनिक कृतव्माके पास चले गये, दूसरे जलसंधके पास भाग गये और शेष सभी योद्धा द्रोणाचार्यका ही अनुसरण करने लगे
bhojam eke 'bhyavartanta jalasaṃdhaṃ tathāpare | pāṇḍavaiḥ nighnamānāś ca droṇam evāpare yayuḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Some of the warriors turned back toward Bhoja; others fled to Jalasandha. But, being struck down by the Pāṇḍava fighters, the rest—seeking protection and rallying around their commander—followed Droṇācārya alone. The verse underscores how, amid the moral and physical pressure of battle, frightened troops abandon positions and cling to a leader as their last refuge.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In crisis, morale fractures: some retreat or flee, while others seek safety and order by rallying behind a capable leader. Ethically, it highlights the tension between fear-driven self-preservation and the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness in battle.
Sañjaya reports that under heavy pressure from the Pāṇḍava fighters, parts of the Kaurava force scatter—some turning toward Bhoja, others toward Jalasandha—while the remaining warriors regroup by following Droṇa.