Shloka 24
Adhyāya 10: Śrutakarmā’s Engagements; Prativindhya–Citra Duel; Drauṇi Advances toward Bhīma
भीष्मद्रोणावतिरथौ हतौ सेनापती मम । सेनापतिर्भवानस्तु ताभ्यां द्रविणवत्तर:,“मेरे दो सेनापति पितामह भीष्म और आचार्य द्रोण, जो अतिरथी वीर थे, युद्धमें मारे गये। अब तुम मेरे सेनानायक बनो; क्योंकि तुम उन दोनोंसे भी अधिक शक्तिशाली हो
sañjaya uvāca |
bhīṣma-droṇāv atirathau hataū senāpatī mama |
senāpatir bhavān astu tābhyāṃ draviṇavattaraḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “My two commanders—Bhīṣma and Droṇa, both mighty warriors of the highest rank—have been slain. Therefore, you must now become the commander of my army, for you are even more formidable than those two.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights wartime dharma as understood in the epic: when leaders fall, responsibility must be transferred without delay to preserve order and effectiveness. It also shows how authority is justified through perceived merit—strength, capability, and resources—rather than sentiment alone.
After the deaths of Bhīṣma and Droṇa, the Kauravas face a leadership vacuum. Sañjaya reports the decision that a new commander must be appointed, praising the next leader as surpassing the previous two in martial power, thereby legitimizing the succession in the midst of crisis.