Shloka 486
सोदर्याश्न यथामुख्यास्ते5रक्षन् द्रोणमाहवे । एक ओरसे पाण्डवोंसहित पांचाल-सैनिक द्रोणाचार्यको मार रहे थे और दूसरी ओरसे दुर्योधन, कर्ण, सुबलपुत्र शकुनि तथा दुर्योधनके मुख्य-मुख्य भाई उस युद्धमें आचार्यकी रक्षा कर रहे थे
saudaryāś ca yathāmukhyās te 'rakṣan droṇam āhave |
サञ्जयは語った。ドゥルヨーダナの実の兄弟たち――その中でも最も重き者ら――が戦場でドローナを守護した。かくして一方では、パाण्डवらとパンチャーラ軍がドローナाचार्यを討たんと押し寄せ、他方ではドゥルヨーダナ、カルナ、スバラの子シャクニ、そしてドゥルヨーダナの主要な兄弟たちが、総大将を守る防楯となって立ちはだかった。この場面は戦の道徳的緊張を浮き彫りにする。指揮官と血縁への忠誠は貫かれる一方、敵は争いを終わらせるため、最も恐るべき策士を除こうとするのである。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic complexity of war: even when a commander is viewed as the key obstacle by the enemy, his side considers it a duty of loyalty and kṣatriya responsibility to protect him. It frames battle not only as violence but as competing obligations—duty to defeat versus duty to defend one’s leader and kin.
The Pāṇḍavas with the Pāñcāla troops are attempting to kill Droṇa, while on the other side Duryodhana, Karṇa, Śakuni (son of Subala), and Duryodhana’s leading brothers form a protective force around Droṇa in the midst of combat.